The Mission From Hell
by DeepShadows2
Summary: Severus and Alexis get sent to America, undercover with weird circumstances. They are there for the Ministry and they must try to blend in... This would be hard enough for any wizard, but it doesnt help that Sev and Lex hate each others guts...R
1. The Assignment

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 1  
****"The Assignment"  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

**Disclaimer:** We own nothing that JK Rowling has created… We own Alexis, Artimis, and the rest of the Manor occupants along with the plot and the aforementioned Manor Dela Loyalty…  
**Author's Notes:** This is the first chapter of ten for this story. This is one of our babies, a little idea that grew and grew. This originally started with a random scene of Severus making omelets. Then being the plot lovers that we are, we asked 'why?'. And this is what happened…. Enjoy and please Read and Review, because Reviews make us smile, and a smiling Deep Shadows and EckoStalker is a lot better than sad depressed DS and ES….

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Severus stood in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a loose black tee shirt, cursing the powers that be as he made breakfast on the small stove.

"Severus, come on, I'm starving!" Alexis whined at him and he cringed, thinking of how he had woken up to that whining complaining person.

"Hold your bloody horses. What kind of woman can't cook, gods only know?" He replied, turning to glare at her as she sat at the small table, sighing and in her own pajamas.

"Why is it taking soooo long? I'm wasting away." She groaned at him and he shook his head, sighing as he cooked the bacon.

"It takes more than a mere second to make bacon omelets, Whyte, and you should be glad I am making them for you at all and not letting you starve. Why don't you make some toast or something?" He hissed at her as the grease popped up at him.

"Toast?" Her annoying voice was heard and he sighed again.

"Yes, toast, I do trust you know how to use a toaster." He snarled as he took the bacon out of the pan, preparing to make omelets. He heard Alexis hastily get out of her chair and he watched as she began to make toast. Severus Snape groaned to himself as he grumbled.

"How in the world did I get stuck with this mission?..." He asked himself, and then after a bit of thought he glared at the wall behind the stove and snarled.

"Oh wait, I remember..."

---------------

Severus was stalking toward the lounge, wondering what in the bloody hell Aaron had to tell him that was so bloody important to ruin his mid-afternoon afternoon nap. He grumbled as he approached the doors, cursing them in his mind. Severus walked in to see Alexis sitting in her chair, reclining as Aaron and Draco paced back and forth. Aaron looked at him and sighed.

"Good, your here. Sit, sit, this is important." He gestured Severus to the couch and he sat down, not feeling like arguing yet, seeing as he was still groggy. Alexis looked at him indifferently, turning her attention to the men before her.

"Okay, before we give you this mission, I want you to know that we did not come up with this and that this was passed down and we couldn't argue it, trust us, we tried." Aaron began and Severus's interest was peeked as he listened to them.

"I don't like the sounds of this." Alexis moaned and Draco hushed her.

"You two have an assignment. You are to go undercover as covert agents in America. You will be investigating the smuggling of Class A Non-Tradable goods, mostly dangerous animal eggs and offspring, out of America and into our borders. Alexis, you were assigned to this mission for your expertise in Magical Creatures and your ability to adapt to unusual circumstances. Severus you were chosen for the aforementioned item and your potion's expertise, for some of these eggs are being smuggled for use in the black market of Potions making and it is assumed that you know how to detect such individuals. Here are your briefing papers." Aaron rambled off quickly and Severus was handed a pack of papers, quite a few of them passports and identification papers. Alexis rolled her eyes and looked at Severus, shaking her head and he shook his head as well.

"God, Aaron, you made it sound like you were sending us to Antarctica to survive off the wild or something. You are too dramatic." Alexis hissed and Draco looked at Aaron shaking his head in dismayal. Severus took it, as meaning there was more to this than meets the eyes.

"Alexis, there's more. You are going as Muggles, as a Muggle couple... As in Severus, or Harry as his papers say, is your boyfriend. And Alexis, or Lindsey, is your girlfriend, Severus. You have to act like you are a British Muggle couple looking to move to America." Aaron stated and Severus shook his head, trying to process the information. Obviously Alexis got it before him.

"WHAT! You have got to be KIDDING ME! HIM? You want me to act I am his what!" Alexis hollered and Severus shook his head, getting what was going on.

"You are saying that Ministry is sending us in as a couple of magicless lovesick fools?" Severus asked loudly and Aaron looked at him with shock.

"Sadly Severus, that is exactly what the Ministry is sending you as. I don't like it almost as much as you don't. I tried to fight it, but my superiors handed this down with a 'deal with it' attitude." Aaron stated with a growl, looking at Draco, who nodded as well, looking dismayed.

"That's it. I'm turning in my badge, I quit. Right here, right now. I quit. I, Alexis Catherine Whyte-Weasley do hereby give up my position as an Auror." Alexis yelled, crossing her arms as she reclined in her chair. Aaron turned from Severus to Alexis, a look of shock on his face.

"Alexis, you can't quit. You are one of the best Aurors in the world. We need you to do this job. It's for the betterment of everything. Please, this is crucial to breaking the ring we have been working at for years." Aaron began and Alexis glared at him.

"If it's so important, why don't you do it? Nope, not going, not with him..." Alexis simmered, glaring at the two men in front of her. Severus shared the same sentiments on the matter; he didn't think he would be able to last for however long this mission was going to be, acting as if he were emotionally attached to Whyte.

"Come on Alexis, won't it be good to see that bastard who sent those fools after you at Cornwall behind bars at Azkaban, getting the justice he deserves?" Draco baited and Alexis looked at him with contemplation.

"Yeah, but why Severus? And why this way? And for how long?" Alexis whined and Severus watched the two men draw back as if expecting a blow.

"We told you why Severus was chosen... As for why this way, perhaps they think it is more believable and they obviously did not know the two of you or your hatred for each othe-" Draco was cut off.

"Dislike... We've never actually progressed to hate, though this mission might change that." Severus corrected, knowing that he would most likely kill her before the week was out.

"Ok, your dislike for one another, and the mission is set to be in activity for one month unless circumstances call for it to be longer." Draco continued, looking Aaron who nodded.

"So Alexis, do you accept your mission, or what?" Aaron asked and Alexis crossed her arms, shaking her head in the 'why-am-I-agreeing' fashion.

"Severus?" Draco asked and Severus sighed, looking at his feet.

"I guess I have no choice." He stated, rolling his eyes as he looked over his papers, not looking at Alexis or the two men in the room.

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Severus wished he would have thrown a fit now as he stood there cooking for the wand less wonder Alexis, who couldn't even manage to cook an egg for herself. The day before this had been hell, so her whining was a bit more tolerable. He had been pushed on a plane, scared out of his wits by take-off and landing, had to figure out how to find their apartment, because Alexis is 'directionally challenged' and had to sleep in the same room as Alexis, on the same bed. On top of that, it was snowing, in the lower twenties and the damn heater wasn't working. Luckily the stove being used made the one-bedroom/one bathroom apartment warmer, but Severus would prefer the cold to Alexis's whining. He placed her plate in front of her and waited to find out what was on their agenda for today. He knew they were meeting the targets today, but other than that he hadn't read the rest of his briefs yet, being so exhausted the night before that he just collapsed in the bed next to his bane without complaint.

--------------------------

Alexis grumbled to herself as she pushed herself out of her chair, retrieving the toaster, shaking her head at this whole predicament in general. "I can't believe I'm here in America, with Severus, in the same house, in my pajamas... with Severus... how in the world did I get into this damn mess... oh wait, duh..." She thought back with a glare at her toast.

------------------------

Alexis lounged in her green, La-Z-boy recliner, sighing with boredom as she watched Draco and Aaron pace in front of her. _How many bloody naps does this guy take in one day? Then he takes forever getting here... its not like I have stuff to do besides wait on Severus, no, none at all..._

Alexis thought darkly to herself, resting her chin on her hand and yawning, seeing Severus finally stalk into the room with his usual 'I-hate-the-world' attitude. Aaron, stopping his nerve wracking pacing, looked up and sighed with relief.

"Good, your here. Sit, sit, this is important." He told him, and Severus looked to her curiously. Alexis pointedly ignored him, not really happy about his apparent need to be there, but accepting it in light of this interesting meeting called by the Head Auror. She looked to Aaron expectantly, hoping to get this over with quick, she had places to go, people to annoy, and so on and so forth.

"Okay, before we give you this mission, I want you to know that we did not come up with this and that this was passed down and we couldn't argue it, trust us, we tried." Aaron spoke, and Alexis immediately got a bad feeling about this whole thing. _He didn't specify as a mission for either Severus or me... he just said it to us in general... that's always bad... _Alexis thought, voicing her thoughts in a groan. "I don't like the sounds of this."

Draco shushed her as Aaron added on. "You two have an assignment. You are to go undercover as covert agents in America. You will be investigating the smuggling of Class A Non-Tradable goods, mostly dangerous animal eggs and offspring, out of America and into our borders. Alexis, you were assigned to this mission for your expertise in Magical Creatures and your ability to adapt to unusual circumstances. Severus you were chosen for the aforementioned item and your potion's expertise, for some of these eggs are being smuggled for use in the black market of Potions making and it is assumed that you know how to detect such individuals. Here are your briefing papers." He spoke in a quick, nervous tone, but Alexis sighed with relief, rolling her eyes at her boss's dramatics.

There was at least something she knew about the content of this mission, and yeah, Severus was in on it, but it wasn't like they had to be nice to each other. They just had to put what they knew together, and that was it. Right?

Glaring at Aaron for making her nervous, she hissed at him. "God, Aaron, you made it sound like you were sending us to Antarctica to survive of the wild or something. You are too dramatic."

When they didn't answer but stood in silence, Alexis took it as a sign that something bad was about to happen.

"Alexis, there's more. You are going as Muggles, as a Muggle couple... As in Severus, or Harry as his papers say, is your boyfriend. And Alexis, or Lindsey, is your girlfriend, Severus. You have to act like you are a British Muggle couple looking to move to America." Aaron stated quietly, and Alexis gawked at him in the utmost shock as she sat bolt upright in her chair. This was _beyond_ bad, this was downright abhorrent.

"WHAT! You have got to be KIDDING ME! HIM? You want me to act I am his what!" She screeched at him, and Severus finally seemed to register the statement and, being the slow one as it were, had to confirm it in simpler terms for himself.

"You are saying that Ministry is sending us in as a couple of magicless lovesick fools?"

Aaron gazed back at him as Alexis listened to them in opened-mouthed surprise.

"Sadly Severus, that is exactly what the Ministry is sending you as. I don't like it almost as much as you don't. I tried to fight it, but my superiors handed this down with a 'deal with it' attitude."

Alexis was not about to agree to this as easily. This was asking a bit much of her. What, did they _want _her to kill Severus?

She crossed her arms angrily, speaking with finality and with as much conviction as possible as she leaned back in her chair. "That's it. I'm turning in my badge, I quit. Right here, right now. I quit. I, Alexis Catherine Whyte-Weasley do hereby give up my position as an Auror."

She snickered internally at the look of shock on Aaron's features as he quickly tried to reason with her. "Alexis, you can't quit. You are one of the best Aurors in the world. We need you to do this job. It's for the betterment of everything. Please, this is crucial to breaking the ring we have been working at for years."

_Damn, he's got a point there... but... as a couple? With Severus! What sick mind thought this up!_

Alexis thought desperately, hoping to somehow find a way out of this as she whined, still glaring at the two men, completely ignoring Severus as long as she could. "If it's so important, why don't you do it? Nope, not going, not with him..."

"Come on Alexis, won't it be good to see that bastard who sent those fools after you at Cornwall behind bars at Azkaban, getting the justice he deserves?" Draco reasoned, picking at Alexis's mind. _Damn him, he's got to bring that into the mix..._

"Yeah, but why Severus? And why this way? And for how long?" Alexis continued to argue with growing anger. Was the ministry that ignorant to the fact that Severus and her _did not_ get along? And did they honestly think putting them together in a mission like this would accomplish anything except the deaths of them both?

"We told you why Severus was chosen... As for why this way, perhaps they think it is more believable and they obviously did not know the two of you or your hatred for each othe-" Draco was cut off in his rambled excuse as Severus corrected him.

"Dislike... We've never actually progressed to hate, though this mission might change that."

_You know, I actually agree with Severus on that one..._

"Ok, your dislike for one another, and the mission is set to be in activity for one month unless circumstances call for it to be longer." Draco continued warily, looking Aaron who nodded.

"So Alexis, do you accept your mission, or what?" Aaron asked her, and Alexis fought with herself vainly for a moment. This was her job, and she loved her job... and nothing could get in the way of that. With an angry sigh of resignation, she refrained from arguing, crossing her arms and shaking her head, wondering to herself. _I can't believe I'm agreeing to this... I must me out of my mind..._

"Severus?" Draco asked, and Alexis looked at him discreetly, wondering if he would actually go along with it. If not, she would be paired up with someone else!

"I guess I have no choice."

Well, that plane just crashed and burned...

_Hehehehe... planes... I remember that one... _Alexis snickered to herself, smiling at the memory as she buttered the rest of the toast. It _was_ worth it to shove Severus on the plane to get to Boston, to laugh at his great discomfort and nervousness. Though, he was worse than a five year old with his continual whining and sniveling about how metal was _not _meant to fly. It even got to the point that she actually had to drug him.

She shook her head, plopping back into her seat at the small table and setting the plate of toast down in front of her, sighing once again at Severus's slowness. He finally managed to finish the omelettes, setting a plate in front of her and collapsing into a chair across from her, wearily picking up a fork and starting in on his meal.

Alexis didn't question on anything for a few minutes as she focused on filling her grumbling stomach, shivering slightly and wishing that the damn heater had worked.

As Severus poured himself another cup of steaming coffee, he grumbled to her resignedly. "So _Lindsey_, what's on the agenda for today?"

He smirked slightly as Alexis narrowed her eyes at his mocking tone. _What kind of name is Lindsey anyways? It's annoying..._

She smirked back as she replied. "I don't know _Harry_, nothing really planned until tonight."

Severus stared at her blankly for a moment, then asked with confusion. "Tonight?"  
Alexis sighed and slapped her forehead, shaking her head. _My god, what planet is this guy from again?_

She looked up at him and spoke through gritted teeth. "Yeah, _tonight_. Our little excursion to the _harbor,_ like we had _planned_?"

She stared hard at him, and his eyes widened in remembrance. "Oh, tonight. Yes. Okay. So then what do we do until then?"  
"How do you survive every day? Or do those naps take up most of your time? I don't know... this was all we had in the refrigerator, I guess we could go shopping or something." Alexis told him snappily, shrugging her shoulders. She hadn't really expected to be planning their entire days for the next month. _Month... damn... a month never seemed so long in my life... _Alexis grumbled mentally and Severus shrugged as he sipped his coffee and replied, ignoring her snappy comment.

"I suppose we could do that. Though I'll be damned if I have to get on one of those 'subway' contraptions you were telling me about." He grumbled darkly, shaking his head.

Alexis rolled her eyes as she replied. "No, the nearest store is only a block away. We'll walk, cause I don't trust you to drive just yet. Last night I was too damn tired to care, but thinking back on it now, you almost wrecked us like, ten times. Red means stop Severus. Just remember that next time."

Severus glared indignantly as he snapped back. "I know that Whyte. It's not my fault those damn lights change so bloody quick..."

"Sure Severus..." Alexis mused, shaking her head and finishing up her omelet. She then hollered before he had a clue to what she was thinking. "I call shower first!"

She jumped up from her chair to sprint to the bathroom first, but she was yanked backwards as an arm latched onto hers. She looked up with a scowl as Severus growled, now up and beside her. "No. _I _cooked, so _you_ do the dishes. And that being the case, I'll take a shower first."

He put his hands on her shoulders and steered her to the sink, then turned and walked back to the one bedroom/bathroom they shared. Alexis glared after him, whining. "Yeah, just so you can use up all the hot water! Jerk... should've got a place with a damn dishwasher... But no, the ministry couldn't _afford_ to send us to a place with working heater and a dishwasher... damn cheapskates..." Alexis continued to grumble to herself as she fetched the rest of the dishes to wash.

----------------------------

Severus snorted at Alexis's grumbling as he grabbed some clothes and headed to their bathroom. He stripped quickly, it being extremely cold and he hopped into the hot water of the shower. He relaxed in the warmth it being a great comfort and he made a mental note to not take up all the hot water, because it was damn cold and even he wasn't that cruel. He washed quickly and got out, dressing faster than he could ever remember dressing without magic. He donned a pair of blue jeans, a black tee shirt and a dark green sweater,

"Damn, why is this country so damn cold..." He hissed as he walked back out to the kitchen. He found Alexis staring into a cup of coffee, her eyes glazed over a bit.

"Lindsey. Shower. There's still warm water..." He told her and she got up quickly heading toward the bathroom. He poured himself yet another cup of coffee, taking the last bit and he downed it adoringly. After about fifteen minutes Alexis walked out of the bedroom, yawning a bit.

"Thank you so much for saving me water." She told him and he nodded as he downed the last bit of his coffee. Alexis finished her own cup off coffee, which by now had gotten cool and stretched her hands above her head.

"Okay, lets get going." Alexis told him and he rolled his eyes, donning gloves and a scarf. He was bloody cold. Alexis locked the door behind them and he followed her, hoping she did know exactly where they were going. After trudging through the snow and cold weather they came to a store and they entered hastily. To his relief, it was warm inside and Alexis went and got a basket on wheels.

"Okay. The rule is I get to push the cart." Alexis told him and he shook his head at her, following her as she navigated the store for half an hour, occasionally asking him if he knew how to cook something or if something was meat. When they passed the liquor area Severus got himself a bottle of wine, knowing it wasn't the best, but it would calm his nerves. Alexis finished her shopping, Severus not paying much mind to what she was getting, enjoying the warm store and the thought of a nice glass of wine when they got back kept him content. They got to the register and Severus looked at the Muggle money in his hand. Now in England, he could understand their monies, but American money looked like pieces of paper with old men on it. He looked at Alexis and took her hand, shoving the money into it.

"Here, you take it, I don't understand American money Lindsey." Severus told her, almost calling Alexis by her real name. She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head, paying for the items and pocketing the rest of the money. They left the store and Severus ended up carrying, what he assumed, was twenty bags of junk food. This would have been not as bad as a problem if it had not started snowing again. Sighing as he followed Alexis, he trudged on, noticing she didn't have as many bags as him. They reached the apartment and he left the grocery putting up to Alexis as he looked at the thing she called a heater. He wondered why they didn't have a fireplace, which would make things much simpler. Then again, from what Severus knew of muggles, nothing was ever simple for them. He spent the rest of the afternoon trying to fix that blasted heater, and even with Alexis's help, it was to no avail.

* * *

_**Look for the next chapter next Thursday… It gets more interesting as it goes… We all know we want to see Severus Snape dressed in black acting like a ninja…  
And Alexis too of course…**_


	2. The First Night Brrr

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 2  
****"The First Night... Brrr..."  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

* * *

Alexis and Severus sat across from each other at the table once again, finishing up a simple dinner of hot dogs and Macaroni and cheese. They were silent as they ate relatively slowly, occasionally looking up at the clock situated above the kitchen sink.

Finally on one such check, the clock ticked 10:00 pm. Severus coughed softly, picking up his plate and setting it by the sink. Alexis looked up at the clock just after him, and then also picked up her plate, setting it next to his. They looked at each other silently for a moment, and then both nodded, both walking simultaneously to their bedroom.

Severus went to his dresser drawer as Alexis rummaged through her half unpacked suitcase, both pulling out a set of black clothes and a leather pack of sorts. Alexis snagged the bathroom before Severus could get up, and Severus merely rolled his eyes as he closed the bedroom door and set out his own set of clothes.

Alexis set up in the bathroom and donned the black pants and halter top, pulling on the warm black jacket over it as she shivered. She sat on the edge of the bathtub then, pulling on a pair of warm black socks and lacing up a pair of black combat boots. Standing in front of the mirror, she pulled out a small canister, twisting it open and smearing her fingers in it. Smirking, she wiped the black paint under her eyes in two thick lines, nodding in approval. Setting the leather pack she brought on the sink, she pulled out several small devices, hooking the small walkie-talkie ear and mouthpiece firmly around her left ear. She pulled out her beloved nunchucks, snapping them onto her black leather belt that was pretty much a utility belt, glad that she had already equipped them with a silencing charm to muffle any noise. She made sure her belt was secured tightly around her; the several or so tools in there might become crucial.

Two daggers she fitted into each boot, and another larger one on the other side of her belt, just for precaution. Posing in front of the mirror, she smirked. "Agent Whyte... damn, what a bloody contradiction..."

She gathered up her other clothes and such, and then opened the door, posing in front of it. Severus looked up from where he was situating a pair of black sunglasses on top of his head, clad in the same black attire, and rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, the black paint's really going to make a difference... you aren't going out like that are you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alexis pouted, crossing her arms. "I like the paint thank you, what's so wrong with tha-"

"Not the paint you imbecile. What's the point of going out all in black when your hair would be a dead giveaway?" He mused, and Alexis looked in the dresser mirror at her dazzling, pure white hair.

"Oh damn, forgot about that... um... aha!" She exclaimed, pulling out a black bandanna from a pocket. She tied it over her head like a biker's, hands on her waist then as she posed in the mirror with a triumphant smirk, her head now covered. Severus rolled his eyes and nodded, readjusting his own walkie-talkie earpiece and straightening his black jacket.

"Good. Ready then?"

"Aye Aye Cap'n." Alexis spoke chipperly, and Severus turned off the bedroom lights, leaving the house in total darkness. He then silently made his way out of the apartment, Alexis following behind like a shadow.

They made their way to the alley beside their apartment, stopping in the soft snow as they gained their bearings. Severus shook his head as he looked around, grumbling lowly. "You know, dressing in black was really redundant..."

"The harbor, which is our target, will be clear of most snow Severus, so dressing in white would've been even more idiotic. And then _you'd _have to wear the bandanna." Alexis told him with a snicker, and Severus merely looked away with a grumble.

Alexis then went into spy mode, pushing aside her snarky comments and focusing on the task at hand. She looked at Severus, flicking on her earpiece as Severus did the same. She whistled into the mouthpiece part, and Severus winced painfully, glaring at her.

"Yep, it works..." She spoke, smirking at him. He shook his head, turning deeper into the alley and blending into the surrounding shadows, Alexis tailing him as they took the back streets and alleys to Boston's harbor in complete silence.

The seaport was vacant and dark once they arrived, materializing out of the blackness beside one of the many grungy and wide warehouses that lined the old wooden docks. Huge cargo ships and smaller tugboats swayed ominously above the buildings, the creaking of wood and slapping of water against their huge sides the only loud noises that muffled the distant hum of vehicles and city life behind them.

This was to be a simple recon mission for this night, merely to scope out where their targets had decided to set up their base of operations and get a general gist of whom they were up against on this assignment.

Alexis looked up, scanning the tops of the warehouses and the spaced out dim lamps. She immediately picked out several newer looking surveillance cameras as they swept back and forth across the empty docks, and she nodded to Severus, gesturing to them. He looked up, seeing them as well and Alexis signaled him to stay out of sight. He cocked his head curiously as Alexis stood back from the wall of the warehouse, the space between this one and the one beside them only about five feet. She jumped forward, bouncing off that wall to the other, then again until she was able to get a hold on the overhanging tin roof about ten feet above. She gritted her teeth as she pulled herself up and onto the roof, looking down at Severus, who gawked up at her with surprise. She smirked, then crouched down, sidling up behind the camera situated on the corner of the building. She pulled out the small dagger from her boot, cleaning slicing the wires, then taking them and plugging them into a few different slots. Nodding as the device whirred with new information and continued scanning, she stepped back a few paces, then ran and jumped onto the roof of the adjacent building, sneaking up to the camera on that one and rewiring it as well.

She found a drainpipe along one side of the building, and slid down it, landing on her feet on the ground without a sound and sprinting up silently beside Severus, who shook his head at her and mumbled. "You're a damn monkey..."  
Alexis snickered at him, speaking quietly. "I could only get to the two cameras on this side, those on the lamps are scanning the docks around the ships though, so if we stick close to the warehouses, we should go undetected until the next set of buildings. I rewired these ones to play a loop of the empty docks around the warehouses, no one should catch on for a good long while."

Severus nodded, adding in. "Look for ground alarms as well, it would be just our luck if we were to go through all the trouble of downing all the cameras and trip a silent alarm..."

"We? You mean me right. I'm fixing all the cameras. You'd probably freak out about the height and end up plugging something into the wrong slot and either blow it up or set off another alarm." Alexis sneered at him and he glared at her indignantly. He shook his head and started off along the walls of the building, Alexis rolling her eyes and following him, climbing up and rewiring cameras when the occasion called.

-------------------

Severus ignored that nagging annoyance he had when he went anywhere with Alexis as he glanced around them, searching for any guards. Severus shook his head in dismay as Alexis leapt down from yet another roof, smirking in satisfaction. Severus stayed in the shadows, using years of observing students and Deatheaters alike to blend perfectly with the darkness. Alexis kept her eyes upward bound, watching for more cameras and Severus kept his eyes out for ground alarms and foot guards. Alexis stood on the other side of the alleyway and she spoke into walkie-talkie, making his ear scream. He really hated these blasted things.

"Hey, my spidey senses are tingling." Her voice stated over the quiet static and he looked at her rolling his eyes as he replied.

"What are spidey senses?" He asked and she sighed, shaking her head at him, gesturing for the building. Severus questioned her no further as he followed her lead to a back door of one of the warehouses. He picked the lock with no difficulty and opened the door, immediately clinging the shadows. The room was dark and Alexis swooped in behind him, moving to the other side of the door. He looked around for any signs of people or creatures alike. The last thing he wanted to do was walk into a dragon-breeding cage. Seeing nothing Alexis stepped forward and Severus saw a red laser going across the floor at the last second. He grabbed her shoulder and slammed her back toward the door and she glared at him.

"What the-" She began and he held a finger to his lips, pointing to the floor. She looked down at it and sighed, leaning her head back against the wall. Severus moved along the laser line, coming to a wall. He knelt by its source and, remembering how he had learned to disarm these simple muggle devices, he turned it off. After that he stood back up and looked at Alexis, who was watching him with apprehension. Ignoring the fact that they were basically acting out one of her action spy movies, he signaled her to come over toward him. She nodded at him but held her hand up to him, gesturing for him to stay down as she clung to the wall again. He watched as she climbed up on a box and lunged for a rafter, catching it with some difficultly. She balance-beamed it as she crossed the ceiling, moving to a far wall. Severus looked to where she was heading and saw the roving red light of a video camera. She disarmed it and then leapt the floor where he could not see her.

"Hey, I found a crate. Get over here." His earpiece buzzed and he shook his head, ignoring the fact that Alexis's voice was technically in his head. He got up and walked over to where she was crouched, a mini flashlight in her mouth as she was looking at the side of a box. Severus knelt and read the box.

It was addressed to a remote location in England, to a 'wildlife preserve' there.

"This is a bogus preserve. I know all the preserves, muggle and wizard and this one does not exist." Alexis told him lowly and he nodded, pulling the damned sunglass camera off of his head. In the midst of untangling it from his hair, it flashed at him and Alexis covered them quickly, glaring at him.

"Turn the flash off." She snarled and he sighed.

"I don't even know how these damn things work." He told her and she sighed, taking them from him and clicking a button, snapping a picture of the address pane on the side of the massive crate. After that she handed them back to him and he rolled his eyes at her. She stood and walked around the crate, knocking on it softly. He looked around, knowing her noise would draw some attention, but luckily it did not. She opened the crate with amazing silence and got on her hands and knees, peering in with her flashlight. He watched around them, praying that she didn't get them caught their first night. Alexis crawled back out, pocketing something that looked like a shiny piece of shell and then looked at him with determination.

"This is definitely the place. They had Occamy in here." She told him and he sighed rubbing his forehead.

Severus spent most of the night playing look out for Alexis as she confirmed that there had been Dragons and eggs in at least three crates, and that there were Chimera eggs in another crate. Alexis swore that they were transporting chickens too, but he had to remind her that to hatch a basilisk, a toad must sit on a chicken egg. They took pictures of their evidence, though Severus swore he took more pictures of himself than the evidence.

It was getting late and Alexis had climbed up in to the loft area of the warehouse on a whim. He stood on the ground, leaning against the wall, his hand on his wand and the other on his ear, waiting for Alexis to call him to help her down.

"Se, Harr, aw damn it... hey, Asshole, get over here and let me down." Alexis's voice rang through his ears and he snarled at her, shaking his head.

"Bitch." He barked at her and she snickered in his ear as he walked over to the edge of the loft.

"Look, we have new covert names. Bitch and Asshole. Or Ass for short." She told him snarkily and he snorted, seeing her standing on the edge of the wooden walkway. She leaned over the edge, lowering herself down slowly until he could grab her ankles. Then he helped her down to the ground and she shook her head roughly, getting dust all over him.

"There is an office up there, but it's bolted. I can't pick it." Alexis told him and Severus sighed, shaking his head. He looked down at his wristwatch, seeing the green numbers glowing that it was two in the morning.

"We can deal with the office later. We are supposed to be back at the apartment at two and it is two now." Severus told her and she pouted.

"But... It's a locked door. I can't stand locked doors." Alexis whined and he grabbed her arms, yanking her out of there. He would be damned if he let her whining get them caught. She yanked her hands out of his and began to walk on her own, moving out of the warehouse with silent ease.

"You ass." His earpiece rang again and he snickered.

"Bitch." He replied as they moved back into the shadows, heading to the apartment.

---------------------------------

They made their way to the alley beside their apartment, having made sure no one had tailed them there by doubling back once or twice on their way home. They turned off their ear pieces as they stamped their numbed feet in the dirty snow underfoot, Severus whistling loudly into his this time, the noise lancing through Alexis's tired mind, and he turned it off before she could return the favor. He smirked at her and Alexis rolled her eyes, pulling out a key and unlocking the doors leading into the stairs for the apartment rooms. They trudged up them, reaching their own door and checking around once more for any signs of being watched.

Sure of their cover, they entered their apartment, locking the doors behind them. Severus trudged into the Kitchen, mumbling. "I'll make us some hot tea real quick..."

Alexis yawned and nodded without question, heading to the bedroom and grabbing some joggers and tank top for pajamas and stumbling into the bathroom, surprised that Severus let her get it first this time. She changed quickly in the coldness of the small bathroom, cursing herself for not packing warmer nightshirts, and washing the black paint from her face after returning her spy gear and outfit to their bags. She walked back out of the bathroom and headed into the Kitchen, where Severus handed her a warm cup of tea. She smiled at him gratefully, sipping it slowly, a tingling coursing through her chilled body. Severus had already finished his drink and had retreated to the bathroom to change. She trudged back to the bedroom tiredly in time to get hit with a pillow.

She stumbled, glaring at Severus in confusion, who was sitting on the bed, dressed in his nightclothes. He looked at her, then at the bed with a raised eyebrow, and Alexis sighed.

"Fine, I'll take the couch, but I get the bigger blanket."

"Deal." Severus agreed, handing her the blanket as he pulled over his own pillow, collapsing into the bed with a sigh. Alexis rolled her eyes, trudging out of the room and shoving some books off of the couch, tossing her pillow on it and falling onto it, curling up with the blanket tucked under her chin. She yawned again drowsily, calling out wearily.

"Night Harry."

"Goodnight Lindsey." Severus called back, and it wasn't long when Alexis heard soft snoring from the room. Se snickered to herself, turning into her pillow and drifting off into sleep.

-------------------------------------

Severus got great enjoyment from making Alexis wince in pain because of his whistling. He was freezing and any distraction was welcome. They walked into the apartment, Alexis opening the door and Severus remembered that he had taken a big risk last night in not drugging Alexis. He had to start her on her drugs tonight, because he was not risking a torch fest. Severus trudged into the Kitchen, mumbling.

"I'll make us some hot tea real quick..." He stated and watched as Alexis nodded and headed for the bathroom. He boiled a pot of water and made the tea, mixing the elixir for Alexis in the tea. She would not like it, and she would never agree to it, but it would definitely blow their cover if Alexis burst into bright green flames due to one of her hissy fits. The elixir blocked her power, not allowing her to summon her magical fire.

She walked out of the bathroom and he handed her the cup of tea, surprised that she wasn't questioning him. Shrugging, he downed his own tea and headed back to the bedroom/bathroom to change. He pulled out his warmest pants and a tank top shirt and changed for bed quickly, not wanting to be disrobed any longer. Surprisingly though, the bedroom was far warmer than the living room or kitchen. He quickly placed his gear in the pack it came from and placed it under the bed, placing his wand under the mattress. He sat on the bed and Alexis began walking in the bedroom tiredly and he assumed she thought that they were both sleeping in the bed. He would have to correct that thought quickly. Severus picked up a pillow and threw it at her, having already claimed the bed for this night. He looked at Alexis and then glanced at the bed with a raised eyebrow, insinuating that only one person was sleeping in that bed tonight, and that person was him and him alone. Alexis sighed at him and then surprisingly agreed with no argument.

"Fine, I'll take the couch, but I get the bigger blanket." She bargained and he was more than happy to oblige if it meant he didn't have to sleep on the couch.

"Deal." Severus agreed, throwing the thicker comforter at her as he grabbed his own pillow. He collapsed into the mildly comfortable bed with a sigh, ready for sleep. He heard Alexis leave the room, turning off the light, but she continued to make noise as she moved around into the living room. He was about to hex her to oblivion when she called out into the darkness.

"Night Harry." She stated mid-yawn and it took him a minute to register that she was talking to him. He was just that tired.

"Goodnight Lindsey." Severus called back to Alexis with her undercover name and he closed his eyes, covering up with the blanket as he dozed off into sleep.

---------------------------------

Later that night, Alexis's own shivering woke her from what was suppose to be a pretty good sleep. Begrudgingly opening her eyes, she shivered uncontrollably, seeing her breath steaming in the air. _My god, it's like, ten degrees in this bloody room! _Alexis thought tiredly to herself, her teeth chattering in her head.

She pulled the blanket tighter around her bare arms and neck, curling into a tight ball on the small couch, hoping to create a ball of warmth. All she managed doing was finding a colder spot on the couch, not knowing that was even possible. She sat up, clutching the blanket around her, and rubbing her numb feet together as she vainly tried to think of something to make her warmer. She spied the busted heater in the corner of the room, and lowly walked over to it, picking up a book and whacking it a few times. She pushed all the buttons and spun all the dials, but the heater merely sat there in all its silent mockery.

She glared at it half heartedly, shivering to the point that it hurt. She looked to the bedroom wistfully, figuring it had to be at least _somewhat_ warmer than this blasted room. She might as well be sleeping outside for all the good these four walls had of protecting her from the elements. A thought suddenly came to mind, and she fought with herself, as it appeared more enticing by the minute.

_Severus has the bed... which has sheets as well as a blanket... he would kill me though... but if I don't, I'll probably die of frostbite or something... and he's probably all warm and such... _

"Ah h-hell, he'll have to live w-with it... I'm not going to f-freeze just so he can have t-the comfort of sleeping alone..." Alexis grumbled with chattering teeth, stomping over to the bedroom and quietly opening the door. She stood there for another moment of uncertainty, then shook her head and silently crept up to the other side of the bed.

As softly as she could, she slipped under the covers, blessed warmth washing over her chilled body. She curled under the blankets, sidling closer to the source of warmth under the blankets, which was Severus.

Accidentally, her cold bare arm pressed against Severus's half exposed back and she was bombarded with a surprised yell as Severus jumped half out of the bed, shouting with unbelief as he stared at her with unfocused eyes. "MY GOD! You're freezing!"

Alexis glared at him slightly as she snapped. "Naw, you t-think? It's cold enough f-for it to snow it the bloody living room. I'm n-not going to freeze to d-death, so you're going to have t-to scoot over and d-deal with it."

Severus shook his head, still shocked, and Alexis curled against a pillow, pulling the blankets up under her chin as she shivered. Severus grumbled something to himself, shaking his head as he crawled back into the bed, apparently still to asleep to argue on the subject any further, though he did mumble.

"As long as you don't cuddle... you're likely to freeze_ me_..."

"I'll t-try... just don't take all t-the blankets...can't f-feel my limbs as it is..." She grumbled tiredly, rolling with her back to him as he lay back on the pillow, pulling some of the blankets over him.

"Geez, you're like a bloody Popsicle..." Severus commented lowly as he shivered, feeling her cold presence next to him. Alexis merely huffed, trying to fall back asleep as her body slowly warmed up, too slowly to her liking.

On the brink of dozing off and feeling slightly warmer, at least, more than before, she could've swore she felt Severus sidle closer to her. But as blessed warmth spread through her body, she drifted off into a contented sleep without a second thought.

-----------------------------

_Severus was sitting in his wing backed chair in his room at Manor Dela Loyalty, the blazing fire in his fireplace keeping him comfortably warm as he happily read a copy of Potion's Monthly. The room was comfortably warm and he was content as he sipped a glass of wine..._ Severus was suddenly ripped from his dream mid-sip as some form of ice cube ran over his exposed spine. He leapt halfway out of the bed, shouting at the person who had just climbed into bed with him.

"MY GOD! You're freezing!" He shouted at he stared at her with unfocused eyes, slowly recognizing the shivering form as Alexis as she glared at him.

"Naw, you t-think? It's cold enough f-for it to snow it the bloody living room. I'm n-not going to freeze to d-death, so you're going to have t-to scoot over and d-deal with it." She stated through chattering teeth and Severus shook his head at her in his shock. Alexis curled against a pillow, pulling the blankets up under her chin as she shivered in the bed.

"Damn it." Severus grumbled as he crawled back into the bed, shaking his head. He didn't feel like arguing, he wanted to go back to his dream and its comforting warmth.

"Bloody America, Bloody mission..." He mumbled as he sensed Alexis's chill from almost two feet away.

"As long as you don't cuddle... you're likely to freeze_ me_..." He stressed, feeling cold just by her presence in the bed. _At least she brought another blanket..._ Severus thought to himself as she chattered another wearied reply.

"I'll t-try... just don't take all t-the blankets...can't f-feel my limbs as it is..." She grumbled tiredly, rolling with her back to him and he laid his head back on his pillow, pulling some of the blankets over himself. He lay there for a minute, commenting lowly.

"Geez, you're like a bloody Popsicle..." He stated as he shivered, feeling her cold presence next to him greatly. He heard her huff at him and she shivered once again. _Bloody hell... At this rate I'll never get back to sleep..._ He thought and then she shivered some more.

_Gods, she must be freezing... I'm not a cruel bastard... But, she is freezing cold to the touch... Damn me for giving a care... But I don't care, I'm doing it only because I want her to stop shivering so I can go back to sleep... Besides, she's nearly asleep anyways and can't taunt me about it later..._ Severus thought defiantly to himself as he moved closer to Alexis, holding his breath so he didn't yell at her frigidness next to him.

_Damn... She is cold..._ Severus thought as he felt her and himself slowly getting warmer at their closer proximity. He closed his eyes after about an hour and went back to sleep once again.

----------------------------------

Alexis came to awareness that late morning warm, comfortable, and content, her arms wrapped around something solid. She felt herself also wrapped in something warm as well, and snuggled closer into it, hearing a steady heartbeat in her ears. She smiled lazily, speaking softly. "Ron?..."

She inhaled deeply, and her brow furrowed. _This doesn't smell like Ron..._ She thought wonderingly as she opened her eyes, her head pressed into a man's chest, the man's arms wrapped comfortably around her, and hers around him. She looked up curiously, and her eyes widened as she recognized the sleeping face of Severus not three inches from her own. Her breath hitched in her throat and she stiffened in shock, Severus opening his eyes and gazing at her at that moment.

_Oh my god... _Was her only thought as she finally found her voice, yelling in surprise as Severus yelled also, both diving away from each other like they were scalded. But so small was the bed that when they dived away, they teetered on their ends of the bed, then toppled backwards in a jumble of blankets and pillows.

Alexis sat bolt upright, heart beating wildly in her chest as she looked across the bed, seeing Severus sit bolt upright on the floor as well, looking across at her over the bed with wide eyes. They were silent for a moment as they stared at each other in embarrassed shock, breathing shallowly. Severus finally regained some sense, coughing as he straightened himself, rising wobbly to his feet. Alexis stared at him as she pulled herself up as well, shoving the blankets off of her.

He looked at her with as much dignity as he could muster, and Alexis met his gaze defiantly, still a little shaken though by that odd awakening, as he asked quietly. "Um... breakfast?"  
Alexis scratched her head, replying softly. "Yeah... t, that would be good..."

They both nodded at each other, Severus leaving the room and Alexis following after, neither one speaking a word.

* * *

A pretty good chapter don't ya think...  
Now we've seen Sev in Spy mode, lets see what happens when everything starts to go wrong...  
We all know we want to see a Drunken Severus, now dont we...  
Reviews make the writers happy and happy writers mean better chapters...  
_Deep Shadows_


	3. I hate James Bond

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 3  
****"I Hate James Bond"  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

* * *

Severus and Alexis spent the next week as a 'couple', if you could call it a couple, by day and spies by night. They had quite a large array of evidence, but not enough to pinpoint the mastermind or enough to prove that it wasn't a legal venture to bring the United States Ministry of Magic into this. Severus and Alexis had spent every night sleeping in the same bed, the heater still not working, even though Severus had spent countless hours in front of it, trying to decipher the instructions. Alexis had mastered a new dish in her limited cooking ability, Easy Mac. She also managed to teach Severus the art of the perfectly popped bag of popcorn, seeing as they spent most of the day either pretending to house shop or watching movies in the apartment. Severus swore that he had seen every James Bond and Indiana Jones movie in existence.

So far they had made no mishaps, so far they had not been detected. So far...

---------------------

"Oh bloody hell, how hard is it to get up here? I'm like, three feet shorter than you and got up here without any trouble." Alexis hissed into her earpiece, staring down at Severus from her station on the wooden walkway of the loft above the warehouse floor they had pinpointed their first night out here. Below her, Severus uncrossed his arms, shaking his head as he looked for a way to join her in the loft. Alexis leaned back, once more studying the locking mechanism on the office door she had been trying to break into since day one. They had always been cut short on time or on the verge of being walked in upon by the several or so guards that patrolled the warehouse all night, so this room had so far gone untouched.

This night, this was the first place they had decided to search. She looked up as Severus scrambled over the edge of the walkway, crawling towards her with a scowl on his features as Alexis snickered at him. He studied the lock as well as he sat on his knees in front of the door, pulling out a lock picking set and shoving Alexis aside as he went to work. Alexis took up the position of watch, looking down at the numerous crates below and wistfully thinking of how easy it would be to finally get her pet dragon form this place. If only she wasn't an Auror... _No. Being a good girl..._

She heard a click behind her several minutes later, looking at Severus as he smirked triumphantly, the door swinging slowly outward. Alexis smiled, scanning the grounds once more before turning to the door. Severus stood and took a step back as he put away his tools, and Alexis peered into the dark room, distinguishing the blinking lights and boxy forms of several computers.

Looking up around the room for any type of camera, she stepped inside, Severus following cautiously behind her, searching the floor for any trip alarms. She walked up to a computer, bringing up the main screen and searching through a few files as Severus rifled through a large filing cabinet across the room, occasional clicks from his sunglasses camera as he came across something of interest.

Alexis couldn't get to much on the computer, everything requiring some type of password that she didn't have time to crack, but she came upon a list of places and locations from where the live 'cargo' was coming from. Calling Severus over, he fumbled with the camera as he snapped a few frames from the lists she pulled up. Leaving him to rummage along the desks and argue with the camera, wondering just how many pictures of himself he had taken by now, she rummaged through a few boxes laying on the floor.

Nothing of much interest in them, so she pulled her attention over to the wood and glass cases near the computers.

She recognized a box of computer disks and floppies, along with some folders that looked like secret files off of the movie _Mission: Impossible_. Smirking and cocking her head with interest, she made her way over to them, pulling on them. She frowned upon finding it locked, guessing whatever was on those disks or in those folders were important, and it was her job to find out what it was. She checked on Severus, who was warily pushing a button on a computer and jumping in surprise when it suddenly changed screens. She snickered, rubbing her hands together as she studied the simple lock.

She pulled out of a pouch on her thick belt a lock-picking tool, picking at the mechanism for a few seconds until she heard a satisfying click. She called over her shoulder quietly as Severus looked up from his rummaging. "See? I can pick locks just as good as you..."

She heard frantic whispers behind her, and Alexis felt Severus grab her shoulder as she pulled open the cabinet doors. She looked at Severus with confusion, and he rubbed the bridge of his nose with frustration, glaring at her wearily.

She shrugged, asking. "What?"

Severus shook his head, and outside the office, she heard muffled yells and approaching footsteps. Alexis paled as she realized her mistake. Severus growled as he looked about the room. "Never occurred to you to check for alarms I suppose..."

Alexis smiled apologetically, and Severus looked up at the roof, grumbling mostly to himself. "I hate James Bond..."

Alexis looked up with confusion as Severus walked to the nearest desk, having seen an old, unnoticed hatch on the ceiling above them. Severus jumped on the desk, reaching up with difficulty to unlatch the small door and shoving it open, the voices getting louder outside the office. Alexis looked at the entrance door nervously as Severus pulled himself up and out of the room and onto the roof, disappearing from sight.

Alexis quickly scrambled onto the desk, jumping up and trying to reach the hatch also but missing it by more than a foot. Her head darted back to the door, seeing shadows moving towards the office, and whimpered to herself as she looked up desperately, wondering how she was going to get out of this one in time. Severus suddenly appeared back in the hatch, leaning down and reaching out his hand to her. Alexis felt a swell of relief as she jumped up and grabbed his hand, Severus straining to pull her up enough for her to get a hold. Alexis scrambled onto the freezing tin roof as Severus closed the hatch behind her and locked it as people swarmed into the office under them.

They both lay flat on the tin roof, breathing quickly and shallowly, their breath steaming in front of them like puffs of smoke. More voices rose up from all around the warehouse, and Severus closed his eyes as he grumbled.

"We're surrounded. We're bloody surrounded, on a metal roof, and it's snowing. Just beautiful... thank you so much..." Severus growled, looking at Alexis accusingly. Alexis lowered her eyes guiltily, not saying anything as they lay there side by side, soft snowflakes floating silently about them.

The people surrounding the building remained there for quite a long time searching the grounds._ Way much longer than necessary..._ Alexis thought as she hugged herself tightly, shivering relentlessly as she watched her breath in the air in front if her, realizing they must've been there for the most part of an hour. Severus remained silent as he lay beside her as well, looking perfectly calm as he stared up at the star patterned sky.

Alexis wondered how he could handle the bloody cold so well, her teeth were about to shatter from all the chattering, and she had lost feeling in her hands and feet after the first fifteen minutes on the metal roof. And she could swear that the temperature had dropped at least five degrees in the last few minutes. She looked beside her at Severus, who kept his gaze fixed on the sky and she tried to chatter softly. "H-hey."

"What." He replied shortly.

"It's really c-cold out h-here. When do you t-think we can g-go?" She asked softly, finding that talking only let out more heat. Severus rolled his eyes, looking at her as he replied. "Well, we can try now, but I doubt we'd get fifteen feet before they spotted us."

Alexis nodded, though it was kind of erratic with her continuous shivering. Severus continued to look at her for a moment, and then sighed as he scooted closer to her, Alexis staring at him in confusion. He merely stated. "Body heat."

Alexis nodded, hugging herself tighter as she stared at the sky, the cold still spreading through her limbs like a disease. Presently, Severus spoke to her with surprise. "My god, you're practically convulsing."

Alexis nodded, replying softly. "Y-yeah... it's really c-cold man... and all I g-got under h-here's a halter t-top..."

"You bloody imbecile! What, you expected when they said we were going to a northern part of America in the middle of winter that it was just going to be pleasantly cool!" He snapped at her as quietly as possible with a look of disbelief.

"W-well, I didn't expect it to b-be this c-cold and then lay out on a r-roof all b-bloody night..." Alexis grumbled, not arguing too much at this point, it took too much energy.

Severus sighed with frustration, grumbling to himself for a moment before sitting up carefully. Alexis sat up slowly as well, watching him in confusion as he removed his jacket, glaring at her and holding it out, demanding. "Put it on."

Alexis glared as she snapped back. "N-no. Then you'll f-freeze and I'll f-feel guilty and g-get blamed for you d-dying. I'll m-manage a while l-longer." Alexis said sulkily, crossing her arms and looking away from him.

Severus was silent for a minute, and then continued. "No you won't. There's more of me and less of you. And besides, I'm wearing two shirts. Put it on before you freeze to death."

Alexis glared at him defiantly, thinking that he thought she was too weak to last out here like him. Well, she'd show him. She snapped stubbornly. "N-no. You p-put it on. I'm f-fine."

Severus glared dangerously as he growled. "Put it on, or I'll force it on you."

Alexis glared back, then huffed and turned away from him, drawing her knees up under her chin. Severus was silent for a moment, and Alexis wondered what he was plotting. She soon found out as Severus snatched her back towards him, forcing her arms into the jacket's sleeves and wrapping it around her.

She turned to glare at him angrily despite the blessed warmth the large jacket offered her. He nodded once with his 'I-warned-you' stare, lying on his back once more. Alexis sighed, shaking her head as she lay back beside him, her shivering lessening as she curled up in the warm jacket.

--------------------

Severus lay on the roof next to Alexis, looking at the sky in general annoyance as he felt the cold seep into his body. Yes, he was wearing two shirts, but neither of them were charmed like his jacket. He involuntarily shuddered in the cold, glad that Alexis had missed it or else she would be forcing his jacket upon him. He swore that Alexis was a moron. A halter top in November in Boston, come on. He sighed, his breath leaving him like a puff of smoke and he glared at the sky.

_Damn it all... I just cared... About Alexis of all people..._ He criticized himself, crossing his arms to keep in some of his warmth. He glanced at Alexis and saw that some color had come back to her blue lips.

_But she is my partner in this... Though I hate working in teams, I may need to rely on her to save me later... And Damn it, there is no one else to prove that I cared..._ Severus confided in himself, shuddering again as he listened around them. The crunch of boots on snow had faltered and no noise was heard now. He figured they had been on that bloody roof for a few hours, two at least. He sat up, looked to Alexis and nudged her, breaking her out of whatever daydream she was enveloped in.

"Hey, we can go now." He told her and she sat up, taking his jacket off. She handed it to him and he rolled his eyes as he noted that it smelt like her.

"Ugh... The scent o' Alexis..." He groaned as he put it on and she glared at him.

"You can just deal with it, Ass." She barked at him and he sighed.

"Bitch." He replied and she snickered, trying to get to her feet. As she went to stand, she slipped and suddenly was sliding down the roof. Severus reached for her and managed to grab her, but he didn't have well enough footing himself and they both went sliding down the roof. Severus had enough presence of mind to turn himself about as they soared off the edge of the roof, the ground coming fast.

He bent his knees and prepared to hit the ground. He landed on his feet, his cloak flapping and then closing in around him smoothly. He moved aside to the far wall, narrowly missing Alexis as she landed on her feet in the soft snow. He knew that their descent had made some noise and guards would be there any minute. Alexis looked around panicked, her hands on her nunchucks and Severus sighed, grabbing her arm and pulling her as he began running toward the alley. She caught on quickly and he had to no longer to pull her but fight to keep up with her.

They made it to the alley and they dove into the darkness, not stopping until they were a block away from the warehouses. "Never, EVER, stand on an ice and snow covered roof." Severus told her as he fought to catch his breath. His lungs were burning with the cold air, but his body was warm with the pump of adrenaline. She nodded at him, obviously not able to speak as they began to stalk toward the apartment, trying to catch their breath. Severus shook his head as they doubled back more than six times, making sure they were not followed. They finally made it the apartment and he entered it with the same joy as he would a room full of students, none at all.

"I'll make tea." He stated and Alexis nodded, this becoming ritual for them. She headed to the bathroom and changed, and he made her tea with the elixir. She hadn't caught on that she was being drugged yet, but he knew it would occur to her sooner or later. He set her cup of tea on the table and downed his as she walked out. Then he went to the bathroom, changing out of his own spy gear and into some warmer pajamas. He looked at Alexis as he walked out to the kitchen and shook her head. She was sitting there in a tank top, acting as if she wasn't cold to the bone. Shaking his head, he took the now empty teacups and put them in the sink, rolling his eyes. He turned off the lights as Alexis walked back into the bedroom. He followed her and walked around to his 'side' of the bed. He got into it and sighed, his back facing toward Alexis. He shuddered as her frozen foot touched him.

"Jeez, keep your cold feet to your self. Put some socks on for Pete's sake." Severus growled at her and she mumbled at him getting out off bed for a moment and then returning. Severus surrendered to the comfort of his pillow and was just about asleep when he felt frozen hands on his stomach. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Good God! You are freezing to the touch! Get your hands off of me." He snarled at her and she moved away from him, shaking her head, grumbling under her breath. After a minute of feeling guilty, he sighed.

"Oh damn it, just cuddle with me and get it over with, the sooner you are comfortable, the sooner I get to sleep." He barked at her and suddenly a warm body was clung to his back. He shivered and closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep. After about twenty minutes, it worked.

* * *

** You know guys, seeing as I had something to do with this that this is just going to get worse and worse for Lex and Sev, just think what would be the worst thing the two of the would have to do... and add alcohol... HEHEHE... Coming soon...  
Toodles,  
**_Deep Shadows_


	4. Busted

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 4  
****"Busted"  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

* * *

The cold wind whistled through the dark and spacious warehouse, mingling with the muffled grunts and nervous whines that emanated from the multitude of thick wooden crates spread haphazardly throughout the building. Besides the occasional ruffling of paper from the biting wind, the only movement was the random nervous shuffle of feet as the guards strategically placed throughout the complex scanned their stations warily. Everything else was eerily still and silent through the harbor... that is, except for one dimly lit room situated in the far corner of this particular warehouse, out of sight and out of mind from the rest of the world.

In this cramped room, several voices swelled together in agitated tones, every once in a while, one being able to be heard above the rest. Inside the small quarters, a meeting took place between the heads of this entire covert operation, and it was quickly coming to a peak.

"Gentlemen please, we're getting no where with all this bickering. I understand that last night was a closer call than we all would've liked, but that doesn't give us reason to bicker and decide who to pin the blame on." A tall man called out loudly over the five or so other voices, and the other men looked up at him begrudgingly.

Another man nodded, this one much shorter, but much more burly. He stood to his feet, speaking out in a gruff voice. "Jackson's got a point here. Let's quit with the arguing and try to find a way to catch whoever's trying to sabotage us."

One called out against this man. "Well, if surveillance hadn't been so lax, we might've already had them by now."

Several angry voices rose up at that comment in both protest and agreement, and Jackson called out in a booming voice for silence. The burly man who had been cut off nodded to him and continued, gaze turning to a lanky fellow with glasses and a fidgety air about him. "Bill, you were supposed to get in contact with our sources in the British Ministry of Magic. Did they tell you anything?"

The man nodded, hastily pulling out a bundle of papers and rustling through them as he spoke up, the other members listening intently. "Yes, though they couldn't find much. All they know is that the Brit Ministry sent out two agents to help the American Ministry, and ours don't know it."

One man impatiently cut him off, waving his hands irritably. "We know that already, and Gordon's supposed to be here with the list from the airport about people fitting that description that have taken up residence in Boston. Tell us something we don't know."

A swell of grumbles arose, but the fidgety man spoke out louder before they could progress. "Yes, but they _also_ just found out that it's a British man and woman, strongly thought to be a couple, that has arrived approximately two weeks ago."

A renewed wave of comments washed over the excited group of head officers, and Jackson called out to a Bill. "Go find Gordon and narrow down the list with what new information we got. I want to see the list in fifteen minutes."

The man nodded, hastily rising and rushing out of the door with his papers. A fellow leaning back in his chair called out with cockiness. "I hope you have a plan once we find these couples. I'm fighting these damn Muggle port officials enough as it is with the delays we've had due to these agents. We have to start shipping out the beasts soon, or they're gonna get suspicious and start sending their poor excuse for law enforcement in. I can only take these magicless buffoons for only so long."

"Don't worry about that, I got a group of our own tactical espionage experts standing by in case something like this arose. I can have our targets brought in almost as soon as I send my boys out." Another more serious member spoke out with confidence.

Jackson nodded, though warned him. "We'll see... we're not sure exactly what we're up against yet. So far they've managed to elude us quite efficiently..."

"My, you seem to have lost a lot of confidence since these guys started hitting us Jackson. Not getting soft are we." A man taunted dangerously, and Jackson narrowed his eyes angrily as he hissed.

"I'd be careful of what you say Francis, lest you find yourself working the docks with the rest of the crew hands. And you know I can do that, I know you're boss, we're pretty good friends."

Francis glared at him challengingly, but didn't comment as Bill rushed back in with a single sheet of paper, handing it to the burly man who stepped out from the table.

All quieted as the man read it over quickly, looking up and speaking aloud. "There's only two couples who fit the descriptions that have recently taken up residence in Boston, and we have their exact locations down."

A murmur of approval washed across the table of men and Jackson smirked as he commented. "Good. We shall soon find who are little mice are, and then we shall send out the cats."

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Severus awoke in the morning, groaning as he shoved Alexis off of him, in serious need of a bathroom. He stumbled toward the bathroom and made it just in time. He walked out of the bathroom feeling a bit more relieved until he looked to see that Alexis had gotten up and his ears picked up a noise in the kitchen.  
"Good lord, she's gonna try to cook!" Severus thought as he scrambled out to the kitchen. He sighed as he witnessed her making herself a bowl of cereal. Composing himself the best he could in his pajamas, he nodded to her and walked over to the kitchen to try and find something edible for him to silence his rumbling stomach with. Deciding that he wanted toast, he pulled out the toaster and made himself some toast. He noted that the apartment was a mess and he immediately decided that today would be spent cleaning. Besides, he needed to get clean laundry. He stood and ate his toast, thankfully downing a cup of coffee out of the pot that Alexis had brewed. She had massed the art of making coffee as well. _Chalk one more up for her achievements..._ He thought smugly to himself, seeing her put her dishes on top of the other dishes there from last night's dinner, which had been spaghetti.

"So what are we doing today?" Alexis asked him and he smirked at her, shaking his head.

"We are cleaning house." He stated as he walked back toward the bedroom.

"Wh- What?" She asked him and he shook his head.

"I'll get laundry started, you aren't allowed to do that anymore after the bleaching fiasco, so you can get started on doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen." Severus told her and she whined at him.

"But I wanted to watch Mission Impossible 2!" She called and he shook his head at her.

"Well, I don't like to live in a pigsty and I didn't make all this mess. You are cleaning. Now get to the dishes." He told her as he walked into the bathroom and grabbed the dirty clothesbasket. He watched her stomp into the kitchen as he walked out onto the back porch/balcony thing. He opened the laundry room door and shivered, damning himself for not grabbing his coat. He separated the clothes and put a light load in first, purposely not touching Alexis's underclothes but maneuvering them into the washer. He turned it on and turned to walk out of the room and then he saw it. A glimmer of something in the apartment across the street, even with their own. He swore for a minute that he saw a spyglass, but now it was a darkened empty window. Shrugging and assuming he had not gotten over last night's near discovery, he walked back into the apartment, shivering.

"What took you so damn long? How do I get this out of the bottom of the pan?" Alexis whined at him and Severus sighed, seeing the grease in the pan had hardened.

"Elbow grease." He told her and gestured for her to scrub. After that he walked into the bedroom and made the bed, noting that it had not been made since they arrived. He shook his head began to pick up random napkins or whatever else Alexis had had in her pockets and she decided to toss on the floor. After dumping his handfuls into the garbage can he went to check on Alexis. She was clearing off the table of its mess of cups and he shrugged, heading to straighten up the living room. As Alexis finished the kitchen, he called out to her.

"You've got bathroom too." He yelled and Alexis stomped into the room, now wearing his sweatshirt and jacket.

"WHAT? What about you? I'm not your maid you know." She hollered and Severus shook his head.

"I cleaned the bedroom, the living room, which by the way, no more popcorn on the couch for you, and am doing the laundry. You can manage the kitchen and bathroom." He told her and she shook her head at him, glaring with anger.

"You got the easy jobs! How hard is it to do laundry?" Alexis pouted and he shook his head.

"Very hard when you have to go outside in the cold to do it." He told her and she thought about that a moment.

"Fine, but next time, I get the living room and the bedroom and you get my jobs." She pouted and he shook his head, walking toward the backdoor.

"Whatever. And don't forget to clean the shower." He told her as he left the slightly warmer living room for the back porch. He opened the laundry room door and switched the laundry over to the dryer and put the other load in the dryer. He was disgruntled that Alexis truly had only brought warmer weather clothes.

"Great, now I have to take her shopping." Severus snarled as he turned and this time he knew he saw a spyglass. He shook his head and pretended to look over the edge of the porch, actually looking toward the dark apartment window.

_It's just some nosy American brat..._ Severus told himself as he went inside. He spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning behind Alexis and finishing the laundry.

-------------------------

Alexis grumbled to herself as she grabbed the cleaning supplies from under the bathroom, wondering why she had to clean the bathroom. "I understand the laundry argument, but the bedroom and living room? What kind of chore is that? I get stuck with dishes, cleaning counters, now mirrors, bathtub... damn... I should be getting paid for this bloody nonsense..."

Alexis growled darkly, spraying down the mirror, then drawing a Snape look-alike with vampire teeth and horns in the suds. Snickering to herself, she wiped it clean, tossing the dirty paper towels in the trash like a basketball player.

She decided to go through the cabinet behind the mirror, seeing that Severus had actually taken the time put stuff in there. She found a bottle of cologne, opening it and smelling it warily. She drew back with a disgusted look, capping it and quickly putting it back, mentally remarking on his bad taste in scents.

She sighed with boredom, sitting down on the edge of the bathtub and picking up the shampoo bottles and soap, wondering to herself. "Hmm... Wonder if I pour this all over the tub... no, he'd probably break his neck when he falls..."

She put the bottles up on the shower rack, spraying the walls with cleaner and scrubbing them with a yawn and taking her time as much as possible. She heard a cough and turned to the doorway, seeing Severus standing there with a raised eyebrow.

"What, need me to mop and wax the floors now?" Alexis asked sarcastically, and Severus rolled his eyes as he spoke. "No, I'm needing you to get out of here so I can finish cleaning the bathroom."

Alexis looked at him in confusion, speaking curiously. "But, that's what I'm doing..."

"Not any more. Don't question me, you can go unpack the rest of your clothes that have been sitting in your suitcase for two weeks now." Severus told her, not looking at her as he took the cleaning supplies from her and pushed her out of the bathroom. Alexis shook her head as she left the bathroom and plopped down on the bed, taking out the contents of her suitcase, guessing now would be the best time to.

Presently she finished that, and Severus walked in from the bathroom. Alexis smiled at him, jumping up and rubbing her hands together. "Good! Now that we're done, we can go watch Mission Impossible 2!"  
She skipped out of the room happily, Severus grumbling behind her as he trudged after her, Alexis plopping on the couch as she flicked on the television. Severus plopped down onto the couch beside her, shaking his head.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Geesh, you act like you _want_ to do chores. Just enjoy the show."

"How can they make a sequel to a movie that leaves nothing at the end to add on to?" Severus criticized and Alexis shook her head.

"It's called imagination. Now shut up. You might learn something. And then after this, we can watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and I also rented..."

--------------------------------

After eight hours of mind-numbing movies about spies and/or action heroes, Severus was done. He had already thought of picking up the television and throwing it at Alexis, the wall, just throwing it in general, but he realized that in doing so he would have no way to shut her up later. Taking their teacups and placing them on the coffee table he prepared his escape from TV land. He looked at Alexis and shook his head as the credits for yet another James Bond movie, rolled down the screen.

"I think it is time for me to crash. And I can't sleep with the television on." He stated as he yawned, getting up from the couch. Alexis looked at him and rolled her eyes.

"But we didn't even get to watch 'Monty Python and The Quest for the Holy Grail'!" Alexis whined and Severus shook his head, turning the television off. Alexis got up and pouted, shaking her head.

"Spoil sport." She growled at him and he ignored her, locking the front door. Alexis turned off the light as he went to the back door, intent on locking it. He looked up from locking the door and saw the glint of metal again in that same blasted window. And this time, there was a fully armed man behind it and he could sense a watching spell being worked. Severus stood up and turned to Alexis who was crossing the room to the bedroom door. He quickly moved toward her and pushed her back against the wall, his hand on her waist as he faced his back to the back door.

"What th-" She began and he silenced her.

"Shh... We are being watched." He spoke lowly, his lips right next to her ear. She froze and nodded her head slightly that she understood.

"Where?" She asked and he sighed, not liking his proximity to her.

"In the apartment across the way from ours. They are wizards, I felt a watching spell." Severus told her lowly once again, her hair in his face.

"Damn it. For how long?" Alexis questioned, trying to look over his shoulder but he blocked her view on purpose. It would not bode well for the effect he was about to create if she blatantly looked their direction.

"Since this morning. I didn't realize they were spies until I felt the spell." Severus replied and Alexis turned to look at him seriously.

"Ok, and why are we this close to each other?" She questioned and Severus sighed at her, actually making her shiver from his breath.

"For one, it keeps them from thinking I am informing you, and for two, it looks as if I am whispering 'sweet nothings' in your ear." He told her, putting it as bluntly as he possible could manage, She tensed and he shook his head.

"Don't ever say that again." Alexis told him and he nodded in agreement.

"So what do we do? Attack them?" Alexis questioned and if Severus weren't creating a visual effect he would have smacked his forehead.

"We were told no confrontation unless circumstances are dire. As for what we are going to do, you are going to smile at me and walk back to the bedroom and change into your pajamas. Then, you are going to crawl into bed and lay down. I'm going to do the 'manly' last check of the locks on the doors and come to bed. Then we are going to have to... cuddle... As much as I distaste it, I fear that they are watching our actions through the walls. Are we clear on the plan?" Severus asked lowly and Alexis nodded her head at him. Severus backed away from Alexis, letting his hand slowly let go of her waist and she smiled at him and walked out of the room. He walked over to the front door and made sure it was locked and then did the same to the back door and all the windows. He could see his breath in the house and shivered a bit. He walked back to the bedroom, grabbing his pajamas and headed to the bathroom. He took his time getting changed, trying to figure out how they were going to survive with the apartment being supervised by, what he assumed was, the target.

He walked out of the bathroom, turning off the lights and he crawled into the bed. To his surprise Alexis immediately curled up to him as he lay on his back and he put his arm around her back, holding back the shiver and the grimace. He looked at Alexis, who made a mind connection with him.

_(This is all kinds of messed up man...)_ Alexis told him and he nodded his head, grimacing at the sheer thought of what he was about to do, but he knew he had to. He leaned over and kissed Alexis's forehead softly.

"Goodnight Lindsey, get some sleep." Severus told her as she tensed up against him, probably shocked out of her wits.

"Night Harry. Sweet Dreams." She played along and he mentally laughed. _Oh yes, sweet dreams knowing that there are men watching us and I have to act like I like being this close to you... Oh yes, sweet dreams..._ Severus sighed as he glanced over by the head of the bed, seeing the shape of a baseball bat handle nearby. He knew having Alexis bring that along was a good idea. He also knew that if need be, his wand was right under him under the mattress. He sighed, feeling very insecure for once and tried to go to sleep. Alexis somehow managed to go to sleep like this and he soon followed her thereafter.

--------------------

Alexis was grudgingly going towards the bedroom, although she wasn't tired and was in the perfect mood for watching Monty Python. But nooo, Severus has to go and ruin all the fun... finally get the chance to watch TV, and he wants to sleep!

She glared after him as he went past her to lock the back doors, shaking her head at his paranoia. _That's okay; I'll make him watch all the Monty Python movies I can find by the end of this mission... I guarantee it... _Alexis thought with a smirk, but that vanished as Severus was suddenly in front of her, shoving her back against the wall, his face mere inches from hers. And she swore his hand was on her hip. She tensed, having to fight from lashing out with a punch as she hissed in confusion. "What the-" Severus, a dead serious look on his face, shushed her and replied quietly, moving his head to the side of hers, making her all the more nervous. "Shh... We are being watched."

Alexis froze; dread building in her chest along with a growing anger as she nodded imperceptivity, relaxing a little as she asked. "Where?"

"In the apartment across the way from ours. They are wizards, I felt a watching spell." He told her softly and Alexis felt stupid for not noticing anything before. _Good thing he did, or we'd probably be busted pretty badly by now... _

"Damn it. For how long?" She asked, moving slightly to the side, but Severus moved his shoulder, keeping his head beside her and not letting her look past him as he replied softly.

"Since this morning. I didn't realize they were spies until I felt the spell."

She sighed, looking to Severus, getting pretty uncomfortable with their bodies barely a few inches apart. "Ok, and why are we this close to each other?"

She asked him quietly, and he sighed, his warm breath on her cold neck making her shiver involuntarily.

"For one, it keeps them from thinking I am informing you, and for two, it looks as if I am whispering 'sweet nothings' in your ear." He said simply, and Alexis mentally cringed. She never would've imagined Severus would ever say something like that and refer to her. And she knew why, it was downright disturbing.

"Don't ever say that again." Alexis ordered in total seriousness, and Severus nodded with agreement.

"So what do we do? Attack them?" She asked, trying to get her mind off that disturbing picture Severus had portrayed.

"We were told no confrontation unless circumstances are dire. As for what we are going to do, you are going to smile at me and walk back to the bedroom and change into your pajamas. Then, you are going to crawl into bed and lay down. I'm going to do the 'manly' last check of the locks on the doors and come to bed. Then we are going to have to... cuddle... As much as I distaste it, I fear that they are watching our actions through the walls. Are we clear on the plan?" Severus asked lowly and Alexis nodded, knowing she was going have to put her renowned acting abilities into play perfectly now. Severus nodded, backing away from her, his hand slowly slipping off her waist, making her feel even more violated. But Alexis bit it back and smiled sweetly at him, slipping away from him and calmly sauntering into the bedroom as Severus walked back towards the doors to 'check' them. _More manly... where'd he come up with that?_ Alexis thought changed into her pajamas in the bathroom, shaking her head and also wondering how the hell this was going to eventually work out. _They_ were supposed to be spying on _them_! What was wrong with this picture!

She finished dressing, crawling into the bed and yawning, pretending to stretch comfortably and lay on the bed tiredly, when in fact she was wide awake and ready to jump to the defense if need be. Severus finished changing in the bathroom and crawled into the bed, and Alexis remembered what he said and curled up beside him as if it were a normal occurrence, even though what she really wanted was to jump away and go sleep on the couch, regardless the cold.

She tried not to tense too much as he put his arm around her, and he looked down at her, and she spoke along the mind connection with unconcealed disgust. _(This is all kinds of messed up man...)_

He nodded in silent agreement and then did something that shocked her to the point of a stupor. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, whispering quietly. "Goodnight Lindsey, get some sleep."

She tensed up in his arms, fighting to stay put as she forced out. "Night Harry. Sweet Dreams."

_Just pretend it's Ron you're sleeping next to... that's all... a bigger, paler, sarcastic Ron... it's not too hard... no, not at all... my god, I'm going to kill every last one of them in the Auror department after this... It'd be worth going to Azkaban for..._

Alexis thought as she closed her eyes, laying her head against Severus's chest and falling into an uneasy and fitful sleep.

* * *

**Imagine how this is going to turn out... I mean come one, remember, DS is working on this too...  
And yeah I can update...  
Chao peeps,**  
_EckoStalker_


	5. The Day of Forced Affections

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 5  
****"The Day of Forced Affections"  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

**Author's Notes:** Yes i know, I feel a bit behind, but i have been really busy with graduation and finding a job, not to mention that Ecko doesnt know how to properly upload documents... I have go tto teach that girlinternet skills... Enjoy...

* * *

The two of them spent the next two days having to act affectionate in the apartment. The sad thing was that instead of driving them both mad, it was just becoming an uneasy custom. Every morning Severus would wake up, get dressed and then gently shake Alexis awake. Then he would make them breakfast and they would go about their day of either watching more movies or cleaning or reading. They hadn't left the house for those two days, not being able to go on mission. They both were starting to get cabin fever.

----------------------------------

Severus got up and dressed as usual, preparing for yet another day as 'Harry the lovesick fool'. He was beginning to loathe the Ministry and had made a vow to find out who had ever created this mission and rip their throat and heart out so they couldn't scream as they died. He was just that upset. He walked over to where the bed was and sat down on it, leaning over Alexis slightly.

"Get up." He stated in her ear roughly and she shook him off.

"I don't wanna, go away Artimis..." Alexis spoke in her sleep and Severus sighed, not wanting to have to be affectionate more than he had to.

"Please get up before I have to do something drastic." Severus stated and Alexis's eyes snapped open and she looked at him. He shook his head, forcibly smiling at her as he got up off the bed. Alexis yawned and got out of bed, heading for the bathroom. It was still freezing and they still hadn't gone shopping yet for Alexis to have some kind of warm clothes, so she had now taken to wearing his shirts. Sadly, it worked for the situation, but it bothered Severus to no end. He walked out to the kitchen and began breakfast. After a few minutes Alexis walked out in another one of his long sleeved shirt with a false bemused face and made the coffee. Severus was not really in any kind of mood to play pretend but he knew his life was probably on the line, as was Alexis's. Their shadows had been watching them night and day, meaning there was more than one and they were taking turns with watches, which made them either spy movie junkies like Alexis, or trained professionals.

"Good morning Harry, sleep well?" Alexis asked in a sickly sweet voice and he forced a smile at her.

"Yes, fine, and you, my dear Lindsey?" He replied, noticing the miniscule grimace on her face as she smiled back at him.

"Wonderful. That smells delicious." She commented and he nodded at her going back to the food. After finishing the pancakes, he and Alexis sat the table, making it look to those watching outside as if they were having a meaningful conversation over breakfast when really it went like this:

"I'm going to kill every last one of those asses at the Ministry." Alexis would say and Severus would nod at her in agreement.

"Torture?" He would ask as he offered her the syrup and she would nod as she replied.

"Yes, very painful torture." Alexis would comment as she took the syrup.

That is just how this morning went. To Severus it was like living life on the repeat button. After breakfast he sat at the table and rubbed his head.

"Lindsey?" He asked aloud and Alexis turned to look at him with questioning.

"Yes?" She replied and he sighed, getting up walking toward her.

"We are going shopping. You need to stop wearing my shirts, so we're going to go get you some warmer clothes." Severus stated and Alexis looked at him curiously.

"Shopping? Am I supposed to be excited or something?" Alexis whispered and Severus nodded at her and she screeched with false joy, jumping up and down.

"I get to go shopping, yay, hooray and all that jazz." Alexis mused and Severus snickered as he headed back to the bedroom. He hunted down his shoes and pulled them on over his socks. After hunting for ten minutes for his jacket, Alexis walked in, wearing it. He rubbed his forehead and looked at her.

"The first thing we are getting you is your own jacket." Severus told her and she smirked at him, walking into the bathroom. He took his long sleeved shirt off and put another shirt on under it, pulling it back on once again. Walking out to the living room, he searched for the car keys. He tried to remember where he left them last time and then it hit him.

"Lindsey, come here." Severus stated and Alexis walked out of the bedroom, looking at him with questioning.

"What do you want?" She asked and he sighed as he walked up to her and thrust his hand in the pocket of the jacket, procuring the keys and an odd look from Alexis. He held them up in front her and she sighed, pulling the jacket tighter around her.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked her and she nodded, turning the lights out.

"Sure I'm ready. Are you ready?" She asked and Severus nodded, opening the door for her to exit before him. He shivered in the cold and locked the door behind them. They walked down the stairs to the garage and got into the small grey car. Severus got into the driver's seat and turned the car on, fighting with the buttons for the heater. Alexis got in and laughed, hitting one button and the heater came on, blowing cold air at first. After a moment of the engine running the air was warm and Severus began to drive down the blasted streets of Boston to the 'mall' as Alexis had called it.

----------------------------

Alexis and Severus walked into the food court at the front of the mall, looking around with interest. She was bent on getting her mind off of all this as much as possible without giving them away, and she figured taking Severus through the mall would do just that. Alexis breathed in deeply and sighed. "Aw man... it smells so good in here..."

Severus looked at her and stated. "You just ate..."

"So, it still smells good." Alexis informed and he shook his head as Alexis led the way into the crowded mall, Severus looking about nervously and sticking close to her. She saw a Toys-R-Us and squeaked with delight, heading towards it, but Severus placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her towards him and speaking sternly. "We are here to shop for _clothes_ and that is all."

Alexis sighed; nodding her head with reluctance, then smirked and told him smugly. "Fine. But I'm picking what clothes stores to stop at."

Severus looked at her warily, but nodded, letting Alexis lead the way. And she knew exactly where she was heading. She found the large sign that read Hot Topic and smiled at Severus, who looked up with a raised eyebrow. "This is the store you and Ar- you're friend are always ranting about?"

_Almost slipped there... _Alexis thought with a snicker as she replied. "Yep, and this is where we get those shirts for you for Christmas. And this is where I intend on getting my clothes. Care to join me?"

Severus sighed, forcing a smile as he walked up beside her, mumbling under his breath. "Like I have a choice..."

Alexis laughed as she waltzed into the store, Severus trudging in behind, pretending to look interested when she knew it was bothering the hell out of him to be here. Alexis wasn't too ticked though as she ruffled through the racks of winter clothes and accessories, selecting a dark green hoodie for herself along with some thick fleecy sweatshirts.

Severus once again bade her to make the purchase, and Alexis wondered how he would've survived without her in this Muggle world. He had a lot to learn before he could even begin to try and blend in with these people.

They exited the store, Alexis nudging Severus in the side and smiling. He looked at her with confusion as she hissed through her smile. "Take the bags."

Severus whispered back with confusion. "What? Why?"  
"Just take the bloody bags. Be a damn gentleman." Alexis growled, smiling sweetly at him. Severus sighed, then smiled and asked louder. "Here Lindsey, let me carry those for you."

"Oh Harry, thank you. You're so sweet." Alexis spoke graciously, her own tone of voice making her sick. Severus took the bags from her in one hand and started walking away, Alexis rushing up beside him, shaking her head.

Severus looked around for a minute as Alexis scanned the store signs curiously, looking for any music stores or book stores. Suddenly, she felt a hand latch onto hers and she looked up with confusion, seeing Severus force a smile as he held her hand.

"What are you doing?" She hissed in confusion, looking at their clasped hands. Out the corner of his mouth, he whispered.

"One of the guys from the apartment is right there next to that bench. No, don't look at him; just go along with it okay." He told her and Alexis sighed wearily in her head, cursing the entire Ministry for all the hell they've put her through. _Hell, they better have a nice big pension saved up for me by the time I retire... they're gonna have to do a lot of sucking up... _Alexis thought to herself as she forced a smile, making it look like she could care less.

-----------------------

Severus shook his head in disgust as he held Alexis's hand in one hand and her bloody bags in another. He was smirking only because the thoughts of Aaron Billiard's death screams were being imagined in his mind. He let Alexis lead him around this bloody ant mound, surprised that there were so many stores in one big store. It was like Diagon Alley, Hoggesmeade and Knockturn Alley, all multiplied by three and placed in one big building. Muggles were crazy. Although he did appreciate that it was warm in the place. _But then again, so was the car..._ Severus thought to himself and then another thought crossed his mind. How in the world was he going to find that bloody car in a maze of all the other cars? Severus was coming to dislike muggles and their ways, solely because they were far to complicated. Severus looked at Alexis, shaking his head at her.

"What else do you need?" He questioned and she smirked.

"What I want and what I need are two different things." Alexis replied and Severus sighed.

"I said need." He retorted and she pouted at him for a moment and then an evil smirk overcame her face.

"I need a wolf blanket. A _fleecy_ wolf blanket." Alexis grinned and Severus thought a moment.

"I can agree to that, as long as you find one big enough for the bed." Severus stated and Alexis smirked at him, nodding her head.

"I can find one as big as the room, but one for the bed will be easier. Come on, Harry." Alexis told him and he sighed, bring dragged along behind Alexis.

_The Ministry of Magic owes me big time... Hell will freeze over before I ever go on another mission for them..._ Severus thought as he followed Alexis thought the swarm of bodies, still holding her hand.

--------------------------

**_Two hours later..._**

Alexis was practically bouncing as they walked up the stairs. Severus opened the door, setting the bags on the floor as Alexis dove upon them, finding the blanket and opening it. For the next ten minutes Alexis was hidden on the floor underneath the blanket. Severus turned the stove on, intending on cooking soup and making tea, and thus warming the apartment.

"Hey come feel this, it's so soft." Alexis was heard yelling and Severus shook his head in mild amusement.

"I am cooking." He replied matter of factly as he put everything on the stove. He felt Alexis walk up behind him and he rolled his eyes as she looked over his shoulder.

"What you cooking?" She asked and Severus sighed.

"Food." He told her and she shook her head. And then, for some god knows reason she poked him right in the middle of the back, the only place he was remotely ticklish. He jumped forward and hit the stove with his knee.

"Don't do that!" Severus hissed at her, checking to make sure he didn't spill something.

"Do what? This?" She asked as she poked him again and he yelped.

"Stop it!" He snarled and Alexis just chuckled at him.

"Aww... Are we a bit ticklish?" She mused as she poked him again. He gasped as he jumped again and the turned around and looked at her as she burst into laughter.

"That is so funny... You are ticklish." She laughed and he snarled at her.

"You think it's funny do you? See how you like it." He stated and then he leapt at her, tickling her neck the only place that Alexis Whyte was known to be ticklish. Suddenly she was convulsing and they both collapsed to the floor in the kitchen as he tickled her. She had managed to get her hand around him and poke him in the back so he just more vigorously tickled her. She was laughing to the point of tears, grabbing at his hands as he tickled her.

Then the pot for the tea whined and he realized the predicament they were in. Alexis was laying flat on the floor under him, he being on his knees over her and he was holding her neck. This could look wrong in more ways than one. It looked as if Alexis had made her own conclusion on this and they both shoved each other as Severus got up. He quickly shook his head and went back to the tea.

_Thank goodness that looked good to those damn spies... Or else I would have to shot myself... After Aaron and Draco..._ Severus thought as he worked on their lunch, trying to figure out what else they were going to do today.

-----------------------

Alexis curled in her new wolf fleece blanket happily on the Living room floor, wondering what else she could've got if she had badgered Severus some more in the mall. Shrugging though, she called out to Severus, who was busying himself in the Kitchen, solely his turf. "Hey come feel this, it's so soft."

"I am cooking." He replied and Alexis's ears perked up, and she pushed aside her blanket and meandered into the Kitchen, coming up behind Severus and looking over his shoulder as she questioned. "What you cooking?"

Severus sighed and commented in his usual sarcastic and blunt tone. "Food."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, intending to go back to the Living room and curl on the couch with her blanket and finish one of the Monty Python movies. She poked Severus in the back for good measure as she turned to leave, but stopped as he practically jumped forward with the jab, hissing at her in surprise. "Don't do that!"

She smirked with curiosity, turning back with evil intent as she questioned with innocence. "Do what? This?" She then poked him again, watching him flinch with satisfaction.

"Stop it!" He snarled and Alexis chuckled, thinking she had finally found his weak spot. Now time to put it to use...

"Aww... Are we a bit ticklish?" She poked him again and he gasped, spinning on her as she laughed at his sensitivity.

"That is so funny... You are ticklish." She declared, knowing that he knew she now had leverage on him.

"You think it's funny do you? See how you like it." He stated, and Alexis had no time to dive away as Severus leapt at her, attacking her neck with his hands, putting into effect the only ticklish spot on her being. That was it for her.

She collapsed down; laughing as well as gasping for him to stop as he merely followed her, not letting up for a moment. Trying to get him to back off, she risked moving a hand from covering her neck and jabbing him in the back, though he merely flinched, not letting up his attack on her as he laughed. Alexis vision blurred with tears as she laughed through choking breaths, the tickling she felt about to kill her as she squirmed vainly, Severus merely finding a way to stop her moving and continuing his assault.

Finally it let up and she gasped for breath, laying flat on her back and looked back up at Severus, who still kept his hands about her neck.

She looked up at him, then how he sat with his knees on either side of her. She tensed up and quickly shoved him off, shivering at the thought of how that looked as she still struggled to regain normal breathing. Severus scrambled to his feet, face slightly red as he turned to the tea without a word to her. Alexis nodded, turning to look in the fridge and cursing all who had anything to do with this damn mission and wishing the worse fortunes possible upon them as she distracted herself by looking for something to snack on.

The rest of that evening was spent with both Severus and Alexis keeping a five foot bubble around them, neither able to look at each other as they went about random tasks that didn't involve the other person. It was working quite well, that is, until bedtime.

They lay on their respective ends of the bed, staring at the ceiling, shivering in the coldness of the room despite the extra blanket. Alexis sighed heavily, knowing someone was going to have to do something, and she looked at Severus, but he spoke first.

"You know what. It's bloody cold and I'm about to fall off of this bed." He growled, and Alexis nodded, not needing to hear another word as she scooted closer to Severus as he scooted in as well. Alexis shuddered involuntarily as she curled against Severus's side, and Severus grumbled under his breath as he wrapped an arm around her. Laying still in that position and moving no further, both dozed off into a wearied sleep that temporarily saved them from this living nightmare.

* * *

Expect the next chapter on Thursday, im getting back into my groove...  
_Deep Shadows_


	6. Never Again

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 6  
****"Never Again"  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

Author's Notes: This Chapter caused a lot of stress upon EckoStalker, seeing as She has made Alexis loathe Severus with all her might... I of course, just completely bypassed that and she hated me for almost to weeks... Then she read how good i made the plot...(I was in charge of this chapter...)

* * *

Into the third week of the mission, Alexis and Severus had actually become more accustomed to each other's presence and random acts of affection from each other. The problem was that now with them being spied upon; they could only go on single missions, one staying home to occupy the watchers. Severus had just returned from an overly hectic mission, involving Rottweilers and fences. He had also managed to get Alexis her liquor from the store on his way home like she had asked. After this night though, he wished the dogs would have gotten him.

----------------------------

Alexis looked up as Severus walked into the Kitchen doorway, looking paler than usual and very shaky. She raised an eyebrow as she looked him up and down, and he held up a brown paper bag which no doubt contained her liquor.

"What happened to you?" She asked and he shook his head, speaking in a slightly trembling voice. "Dogs..."

"Ah. Never mind." She got up and silently took the bag, speaking lowly. "Um, why don't you go change and we'll talk about it over a glass or two, okay?"

Severus didn't say anything, merely nodding and turning to the bedroom. Alexis set her bag down; following him and reckoning she might as well change and get out the rest of her stash, knowing that she was going to need it to deal with Severus tonight. As he changed in the bathroom, Alexis donned a sports bra and a button up pajama blouse with matching pants in the bedroom, retrieving her other three bottles of hard liquor from her suitcase and retreating back to the Kitchen, taking down a shot glass and setting it next to a bottle.

Severus appeared a few minutes later, plopping on the chair next to her, setting a wine bottle and a glass on the table in front of him. Alexis shook her head, popping the top on one of her bottles and quickly downing a shot before turning to Severus, who had poured himself a full glass of dark red wine and was sipping it slowly.

She sighed, folding her hands in front of her, holding the shot glass as she looked at Severus. "So, tell me about it."

Severus looked at her and sighed deeply. But before he could start, Alexis put up a finger and spoke. "Wait one second." She put aside her shot glass and pulled over her bottle, downing a long swig of that, knowing she'd need it. She made a face as it burned down her throat, settling hotly in her stomach as she sighed, shaking her head and looking to Severus once more, speaking with a smile. "Okay, go on."

He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath as he started reluctantly. "Okay, it started off I was just walking along. I was quiet, and I swear I didn't trip any alarms, I know I didn't, but these beasts, they don't need any alarms."

Alexis nodded, grabbing her bottle and taking another distracting swig. _Yep, this is going to be real interesting..._ She grumbled mentally to herself as Severus glared half heartedly, then shook his head and continued.

"Well, I was almost to the... _store_, I was taking the back yard routes, to avoid crowds, when all of a sudden, these four, could've been eight, could've been any number more than one, monsters appeared out of nowhere right behind me. And these weren't just dogs, these were bloody demons, dogs can't get this big..."

"Big dogs... really..." Alexis mused, only half listening and stifling a yawn as she took another long drink from the liquor bottle, head starting to swim with the movement.

Severus glared for a moment, growling lowly. "You're not even comprehending what I'm saying are you."

Alexis looked at him with feigned indignance as she protested. "I am too. Big dogs, appearing out of nowhere. Go on, I'm listening." _Your constant mindless babble is mixing quite well with the vodka... _

Severus rolled his eyes, and then asked curiously. "How many of those bottles do you have?"  
"What, besides these three?" She asked with a beginning of a slur, the alcohol starting to seep into the working parts of her brain.

"Yes, besides those three." Severus grumbled, and Alexis shrugged. "I dunno, maybe four or five more."

"Good. Then give me one. This wine isn't cutting it." He spoke, taking one of the unopened bottles and grabbing her shot glass. Alexis shrugged and didn't argue, figuring he'd be more tolerable as a drunk, continuing to drink from her own bottle as Severus downed a few shots and continued on with his narration.

"Better. Well these beasts start this loud, vicious, 'I'm-going-to-tear-you-into-itty-bitty-pieces' barking and start chasing me! Well, like any sensible person, I start running... that is, until I come to a fence. These things people affectionately call dogs are almost on top of me, so I end up having to vault over this damn barbed wire fence, nearly ripping my leg off."

"Ripping legs... is that so..." Alexis mumbled, swishing the remainder of the alcohol in her bottle around and wondering how many shot glasses it could fill. She shrugged with carelessness, downing it and looking at Severus with a wide and innocent grin.

She saw him sigh, shaking his head and staring at his bottle with thought. Shrugging as well, he tipped it back and took a long swig, Alexis laughing and patting him on the back as she slurred. "Now that's the spirit..."

He choked slightly on his drink as she did so, and she merely laughed at him some more as he glared at her. _Might as well make the most out of this living hell while we're stuck here..._

Alexis thought, and then scolded when she realized Severus had stopped talking. "You didn't finish your story!"  
Severus stared at her with some sort of amusement, and then spoke. "Fine. Then I went to the store, bought your liquor, and ran back home. The End, that good enough?"

Alexis nodded with approval as Severus tipped his head back, chugging a few nice gulps of the liquor as Alexis fumbled to open her second bottle, downing a swig. She leaned back in her chair contentedly, thinking that the world wasn't that bad a place when alcohol was involved, as Severus leaned back in his seat as well, sighing with satisfaction as he occasionally tipped his bottle back, both content in their silent wasted-ness.

They went on like that for the better part of half a bottle of liquor each, and Alexis felt that something else was needed in this mix of comfortable drunkenness. She stared into the mesmerizing watery depths of her bottle of liquor as a hum welled in her throat, and Severus looked at her with blurred, curious eyes.

Alexis snickered, her humming then turning into slightly comprehensible verses. "Yo ho, yo ho... a pirate's life for me... We're rascals and scoundrels, villains and knaves... drink up me hearties yo ho..." She sang softly, and Severus snickered beside her, and she grinned widely as she took another long drink. After a moment of deep thought, she remembered the rest of the words and finished the stanza of the song. "We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs..."

But another voice finished the line for her, Severus singing quietly as he stared at his bottle. "Drink up me hearties yo ho..."

Alexis looked at him, and he looked at her, then busted up laughing, almost sloshing their liquor onto the floor. Alexis wiped the tears of laughter out of her eyes, taking another swig of her alcohol, meanwhile feeling Severus's eyes on her. She set her bottle back down, looking to him curiously with a small smile and he smirked, shaking his head. _Okay, he's weird... but as least he's not being an ass anymore..._

Alexis shrugged, and Severus leaned forward, intent of re-corking his half empty wine bottle he had left there. He fumbled with the cork, managing to stopper it, but then clumsily knocking it to the linoleum floor. Alexis set her bottle down, leaning forward as she slurred. "Don't worry, I've got it..."

Severus leaned down at the same time, also speaking. "No, it's okay..."

Alexis grasped the bottle first though, and was on her way to sitting back up with a large hand gently cupped her chin, lifting her face slightly. She looked up with wide, curious green eyes into the thoughtful face of Severus, but only briefly as the man leaned forward, grazing her lips with his own in a soft kiss.

Alexis stiffened slightly with surprise, but her alcohol-induced stupor washed away all coherent thought and she kissed back, lost in her swimming mind and dropping the wine bottle back on the floor. Severus leaned back slightly after a moment, his coal black eyes shining, and she thought druggedly with a small smile as her emerald eyes glazed over with incomprehension. _Wow, Ron needs to get out in the sun more... he's looking awfully pale..._

Then Severus leaned in again, Alexis leaning forward eagerly as well as he cupped her face, kissing her once again with more passion, Alexis closing her eyes blissfully, realizing how much she had missed the affection.

Their kiss deepened, Severus pulling her off of her chair onto his lap as Alexis wrapped her arms around his neck, hands wrapped in his hair, Alexis vaguely wondering when Ron had taken the time to grow it out.

Leaning forward into her zealously, he shoved her slightly off balance and she slipped off his lap onto one knee on the floor, Severus leaning down, never breaking their kiss as Alexis held onto him, and not allowing him to let up. He slowly lowered himself to the floor on his knees as well, both hands cupping her flushed face as Alexis fumbled at the bottom of his shirt with numb fingers, growling at the inconvenience of such garments at times in her swimming mind. He leaned back momentarily, pulling it off quickly and Alexis admired with impressed curiousness Ron's new build, but being quickly distracted as he moved back in and kissed Alexis's neck softly, making her shiver all over as she smiled druggedly with hooded eyes, the kissing turning into tempting nibbles along her neck and collarbone.

She felt hands behind her back presently, and she was leaned back onto the cold floor. She gasped slightly at its coldness, but it was stolen away from her as Severus kissed her once again passionately, Alexis drawing her nails over his warm chest as she kissed back fervently, tracing the warm muscles under her hands. She felt fingers fumbling at the buttons of her pajama blouse, cold air tickling her bare stomach as the blouse were pulled open to reveal her sports bra, her breathing quickening.

But just as suddenly as this odd and vivid dream had occurred, it was painfully ripped away from her as a shrill scream echoed through the Kitchen, driving spikes into her drunken mind she snapped her eyes open in shock.

------------------------------

Severus sighed in relief as he reached the door of the apartment, having just managed to calm his breathing. He hated dogs; he really, really, REALLY hated dogs. He stepped into the house and moved toward the lighted kitchen, knowing Alexis was waiting for her bottle of vodka. He was shaky and jumpy and he knew he was going to need a good glass of wine after that mission. Alexis raised an eyebrow as she looked him up and down, and he held up a brown paper bag that held her beverage.

"What happened to you?" She asked and he shook his head at her.

"Dogs..." He replied in a slightly trembling voice. She got up and took the bag from him, speaking lowly.

"Um, why don't you go change and we'll talk about it over a glass or two, okay?" She stated and he nodded and turned toward the bedroom. He entered the bathroom with his clothes and grimaced at his sliced leg. He hated dogs. Really, really hated dogs. He bandaged it, shaking his head as he left the bathroom. He grabbed his bottle of wine and walked into the kitchen, grabbing as glass on his way to the table. Alexis had changed into her pajamas and shook her head as she downed a shot of the clear liquid. Severus poured himself a glass of wine, sipping it slowly. She sighed; folding her hands in front of her as she looked at him with what he knew was false concern.

"So, tell me about it."

He looked at her and sighed, not wanting to talk about it, but wanting to at the same time. He went to begin but Alexis interrupted him by holding up her finger.

"Wait one second." She stated as she proceeded to down a chug of the liquid straight from the bottle. If Severus hadn't been so shaken up he would have glared at her for her bad manners.

"Okay, go on."

He rolled his eyes at her and took another deep breath as he began to tell his tale of his mission.

"Okay, it started off I was just walking along. I was quiet, and I swear I didn't trip any alarms, I know I didn't, but these beasts, they don't need any alarms." He stated the memory coming fresh in his mind. Alexis just nodded at him as she took another swig out of her bottle. Severus glared at her as he sipped his wine as he continued, shaking his head.

"Well, I was almost to the... _store_, I was taking the backyard routes, to avoid crowds, when all of a sudden, these four, could've been eight, could've been any number more than one, monsters appeared out of nowhere right behind me. And these weren't just dogs, these were bloody demons, dogs can't get this big..." He rambled off, the fear of the ruddy beasts filling him once again.

"Big dogs... really..." Alexis mused at him, trying to hide a yawn as she took another long drink from the liquor bottle.

Severus glared at her for a moment, growling lowly. "You're not even comprehending what I'm saying are you." He demanded, thinking to himself.

_She wouldn't even notice if I told her purple monkeys were swimming in her bottle..._ He thought with mildly calming humor. Alexis looked at him with indignance as she protested his assumption.

"I am too. Big dogs, appearing out of nowhere. Go on, I'm listening." She declared and he rolled his eyes. Looking at the wine glass in his hand and then the bottle in hers, he decided that getting drunk was the only way to get the nagging feeling that eight or so vicious dogs were lurking around the corner, ready to rip him to shreds.

"How many of those bottles do you have?" He asked Alexis curiously and she looked at the bottle on the table.  
"What, besides these three?" She stated with a slur and he was jealous of her utter lack of understanding.

"Yes, besides those three." Severus grumbled at her, and she shrugged at him with confusion.

"I dunno, maybe four or five more." She replied and he decided that he was going to join her in her drunken stupor. At least then he wouldn't have to worry about nightmares.

"Good. Then give me one. This wine isn't cutting it." He demanded, snatching one of the unopened bottles and stealing the shot glass. She simply shrugged at him, continuing to drink from her own bottle as he downed a few shots. He smirked as the liquid burned all the way down and he continued his narration.

"Better. Well these beasts start this loud, vicious, 'I'm-going-to-tear-you-into-itty-bitty-pieces' barking and start chasing me! Well, like any sensible person, I start running... that is, until I come to a fence. These things people affectionately call dogs are almost on top of me, so I end up having to vault over this damn barbed wire fence, nearly ripping my leg off." He grimaced as he thought of how bad his leg was going to feel in the morning.

"Ripping legs... is that so..." Alexis mumbled to him, swishing the remainder of the alcohol in her bottle around, looking at it dreamily. After a moment she shrugged as if agreeing with her bottle and she finished it, looking at Severus with a wide grin.

He sighed as he stared at his bottle. If he chugged it he would be drunker faster, but have a worse hangover. If he sipped it, it would take him all night to get drunk and he would have a lesser hangover. He decided to deal with the worse hangover. He tipped the bottle back and welcomed the sweet burn as the liquor sent his innards on fire. He nearly choked though as Alexis smacked him on the back.

"Now that's the spirit..." She slurred drunkenly and he glared at her as she laughed at him.

"You didn't finish your story!" She whined and Severus looked at her in amusement, wondering why he had started it in the first place. It's not like she was listening.

"Fine. Then I went to the store, bought your liquor, and ran back home. The End, that good enough?" Severus questioned and she nodded as he tipped back his alcohol, taking about an eighth of a bottle down. Alexis opened another bottle and leaned back in comfort. Severus looked at her and mimicked her comfortable position as he commenced the drink of his bottle.

Every now and again, he would sigh in the satisfaction of good vodka as they sat in drunken silence for half of his bottle, that being his only frame of time for the moment.

They were silent for quite some time, but Severus was fine with that. The less noise the more he could concentrate on getting his bottle to his mouth, not that he needed to focus...yet. Suddenly Alexis began humming and Severus looked at her with his blurred vision, wondering what she was doing now. She snickered at him and her humming became singing.

"Yo ho, yo ho... a pirate's life for me... We're rascals and scoundrels, villains and knaves... drink up me hearties yo ho..." She sang softly and he snickered at her childish antics. She grinned widely as she took another long drink from her bottle.

After a moment, she started to finish the song. Severus knew the song but just couldn't remember the words.

"We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs..." She sang and the next verse came to him and he spoke it before she could get to it, almost singing before she finished.

"Drink up me hearties yo ho..." He sung out as Alexis looked at him, and he looked at her. Suddenly he found himself laughing loudly with her, almost spilling his vodka. He watched Alexis swim in his vision as she wiped her eyes and he was hit with an odd sensation, which he pushed away carelessly. He thought that sensation might have been precaution, but who needed precaution right now.

Alexis set her bottle back down and looked at him with a small smile and he smirked, shaking his head, though he had no idea why he was smirking.

She shrugged at him and he noticed his bottle of wine was still uncorked on the table. He leaned forward, determined to cork it before he passed out. He managed after a long time of struggling with the top of the slender bottle. After he had it closed, he then managed to knock it to the floor between himself and Alexis.

"Don't worry, I've got it..." She slurred drunkenly as she set her bottle down.

"No, it's okay..." He stated as leaned down at the same time, also slurring greatly.

He stopped and looked at the woman beside him, her hair cascading over her face tauntingly and he was hit with a sudden impulse to kiss her. He pushed it aside immediately and then that ever dreaded 'other' voice in his head chided him hauntingly.

_You are scared... A bonafide chicken..._ The other voice taunted and Severus's drunken reply to that was simply; _I'll show you chicken..._

He reached forward then and gently cupped her face in his hand, lifting her to face him as he kissed her softly. After a moment, she kissed him back and he smugly reminded the 'other' voice that he proved himself wrong. Severus leaned back and looked at the woman before him and suddenly he couldn't remember who she was. As strange as that seemed to him, something else just moved that revelation aside.

_Oh well..._ Severus thought to himself as he leaned in and kissed the woman again with more passion. He pulled her from her chair onto his lap, holding her to him as she wrapped he arms around his neck, wrapping her hands in his hair.

Leaning forward into her, he made her teeter slightly off balance and she slipped off his lap. He leaned down with her, never breaking their kiss for a moment. He slowly lowered himself from the chair on to his knees on the floor, his hands cupping the face of the woman he was kissing. It had been far too long since he had been kissed in such a fashion, _far_ too long.

He felt her fumbling with his shirt and he leaned back, ripping it off quickly as he leaned down and claimed her neck as his prize with his lips, then nipping at her teasingly. He lowered her gently to the ground and she shivered beneath him as he tasted her skin. She gasped out and he silenced her with a flame-fueled kiss.

Severus tensed at the sensation of her nails biting the flesh of his bare chest and he sighed in their kiss. He began to fumble with the buttons of her blouse with urgency, wanting to feel her bare skin under his fingertips, wanting to make her shiver under his touch. He undid the blouse, opening it quickly as he had his eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of human warmth, and just as he was about to run his hands over the smooth skin of her stomach, a scream pierced his mind and brought him back to that scary place called reality.

-------------------------------

Neither horror flick nor terrifying nightmare in the world would've prepared Alexis for the state she found herself in after that blessed scream jogged her drunken, hallucinating senses.

With wide, fearful eyes, she gazed up at Severus, shirtless and kneeling above her with his knees on either side of her, one hand still resting slightly on what she realized with a shiver was her bare stomach, his other entwined in her hair. She tensed up, breath coming in short panicked breaths as Severus stared down at her with equal shock, shaking his head as he stared at her.

_Oh my god oh my god oh my god... _Was the only coherent thought that ran through her fear numbed and now sober mind as a scream welled up in her throat, and she pushed Severus up off of her as he jumped away also. Alexis scrambled backwards on the floor until her back hit a wall, eyes wide and trembling as she brought her knees up, hugging them to her as she fought to control her panicked breathing, staring at Severus who was standing, backed against the opposite wall, chest heaving with gasping breaths as well.

It was then Alexis noticed the two other forms in the Kitchen doorway. She looked slightly up and saw Vicky Adkins and Erica Barton, two of Artimis and Alexis's American wizard friends, standing there, a look of fury of Erica's face, while Vicky was slightly green. Vicky looked between them once more, slapped a hand over her mouth and dived out of sight, retching noises following her retreat.

Erica practically bristled with anger as she let her glare sweep from Severus to Alexis, screaming loudly. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT! I here that you're in town and come to visit, to find you LIKE THIS? YOU SICK SICK PEOPLE!"

Severus was shaking his head frantically, speaking up in a trembling voice as he looked at the woman almost pleadingly. 'Erica, this was not suppos-"

"I don't want to here any damn excuses! There IS no excuse for something like this! Alexis, you're MARRIED! And Severus... you're not supposed to have any kind of love life, _especially_ with Alexis!" She continued to rant as Vicky staggered back into the room, looking slightly less green.

She glared at Severus, and then saw the alcohol bottles, and her sickened expression also turned to one of anger. "This is so sick! Severus, you get Alexis drunk and do THIS! What kind of person are you!" She wailed and Severus looked at Alexis with his own sickened and terrified expression, shaking his head.

Alexis was still too freaked out to speak up, trying to keep herself from hyperventilating as she trembled, curled up against the wall and shaking her head at the whole predicament.

_I was drunk, but was I honestly THAT drunk that I let him get that far? And I actually thought he was RON! What the hell was really in that drink!_ Alexis mentally screamed at herself as Erica surveyed the beer bottles and then glared at Alexis.

"Alexis! You get Severus drunk and do this! What about Ron?" she accused, her crush on Severus apparently taking over her common sense. Alexis would _die_ before ever starting something like this. Severus had made the first move, not she, never she... right?

Vicky looked at Erica with indignance as she scolded. "Alexis couldn't do such a thing. Severus on the other hand..."

"You're not helping this any Vicky! The fact is, they're both drunk and were about to do god-knows-what on the Kitchen floor!" Erica screamed, Alexis burying her head in her arms, wishing that this was all a very vivid, very bad, nightmare and that she would up at any moment to Ron's comforting arms and soothing voice. But until then, she sat on the cold kitchen floor, feeling violated to the point that she thought she would need a lifetime of therapy to get that image out of her mind.

Vicky and Erica were simmering in silent rage for a few seconds, Severus having slid down to sit on the floor, elbows on his knees as he held his head in his hands, looking dejected and embarrassed.

Vicky gasped at a revelation, Erica looking at her in confusion as she spoke out with unbelief. "No one would tell us why you two left the Manor, nor did any of them know where you were at exactly... does this mean... you _ran away_ together?"

Alexis and Severus's heads both shot up at once, wide eyed looks of fear on their faces. Alexis knew that conclusions would be jumped upon, but this was downright ridiculous. Run away, with _Severus_!

She mumbled to herself with unbelief then, shaking her head as she lowered her head back down. "This is it. Hell has finally frozen over, and I'm stuck smack dab in the middle of it... funny, I always imagined the Kitchen would look like this..."

Erica hissed in a venomous tone, glaring at both of them. "You ran away to be together because no one would approve of it at the Manor! Oh my god, you people are messed up! Wait till I tell Artimis about this..."

Alexis actually laughed at that one, a nervous almost hysterical laugh, but a laugh nonetheless, invoking confused stares from the other people._ Oh yes, let Artimis know... I'll start calling around now to find a nice, dark, padded cell to lock myself in for the next fifty years... _She thought to herself, still trembling.

Erica grabbed Vicky's arm with fury, backing out of the Kitchen as she hissed. "I hope you two have fun while you still can. I have no choice but to tell the others, you brought this on yourselves... come on Vicky, we're going to England..."

Vicky followed her friend out, shaking her head in unbelief as they both left the apartment, leaving the other two people in silence. Alexis remained curled against the wall with her head buried in her cold arms as her chest heaved, thinking that maybe she could sit there like that for the rest of the mission, then go find that cell.

Presently after about fifteen minutes in that position, she felt a hand barely brush across her arm, and she flinched back, looking up as she hollered.

"Don't touch me! Just... don't, touch me..." She spoke with a trembling voice as she stared at Severus fearfully, who had backed up quickly from her.

He looked at her with a bit of concern, then at the floor, looking at a loss for a moment. He found his voice finally and spoke lowly. "Um... w, why don't you get the shower firs-"

"Yes. Then I'm drugging myself and going to sleep. And I don't care what they think; I'm not sleeping next to you tonight." Alexis spoke shakily, pulling herself to her feet shakily and not looking at him once, heading to the bathroom with every intent of scrubbing and bleaching her skin and brushing her teeth until all the toothpaste and mouthwash ran out. Gazing at herself in the mirror with red rimmed eyes, she shuddered as she gazed upon the red marks along her neck and shoulders, swallowing back her disgust. _Oh my god... I can't BELIEVE that just happened... I think now's the time I should run away; I'll never hear the end of this at the Manor... _She thought sorrowfully to herself as she finally exited the bathroom after a long scorching shower. Severus stalked right past her, and she made sure not to look at him as she stumbled into the Kitchen, finding some tea left in the pot. She downed it, shivering at the warm tingling through her body, then returning to the bedroom, curling into a ball on the bed. She was going to sleep,and she didn't care what Severus did now, as long as it didn't concern her.

---------------------------------

Azkaban... That was the only thing Severus could think of that would have been worse. And at the moment, Azkaban was looking pretty good to him as he senses were brought back to him. The image before him was enough to sober even the drunkest man.

Alexis was lying under him, her shirt opened to him to reveal her horrifyingly scanty sports bra as he rested a hand on her stomach and another gently held her head of snow white hair.

_Oh my god! What the hell was I thinking!..._ Severus thought as he looked down at Alexis in shock, seeing her tense up at him in realization. Severus shook his head at himself.

_We almost... Oh my god... If we hadn't... Wait, who was it that screamed?..._ Severus thought to himself, trying to force logical thought onto himself. Severus went to force himself back and away as Alexis pushed him and they both succeeded in hitting the opposite walls whiles she screamed, merely sending more lances of pain through his mind. Severus's lungs burned and he thought that he might even cry. This was just that damn scary. His chest heaved as he fought for control of his breathing, wondering whose sick nightmare this was, his or hers.

Severus heard a movement across the kitchen and as he looked that direction, he thought Azkaban was looking like a freaking Ritz Hotel. Vicky Adkins and Erica Barton were standing there, two more banes of his existence, both having completely different emotions splayed on their faces. There was a look of fury of Erica's face, while Vicky was slightly green and looking on the edge of vomiting. Vicky looked between them once more, slapped a hand over her mouth and dived out of sight, retching noises following her retreat. Severus could understand that point of view, which was how he felt right now.

Severus watched as Erica practically bristled with anger as she let her glare sweep from Alexis to himself, screaming loudly.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT! I here that you're in town and come to visit, to find you LIKE THIS? YOU SICK SICK PEOPLE!" Her high pitched voice assaulted his ears. Severus shook his head, trying to find the voice that was so eluding him.

"Erica, this was not suppos-" His voice trembled out greatly, sounding nothing like himself at all as he looked at his former student pleadingly.

_This is the last thing I need right now..._ Severus thought as Erica cut him off mid sentence.

"I don't want to here any damn excuses! There IS no excuse for something like this! Alexis, you're MARRIED! And Severus... you're not supposed to have any kind of love life, _especially_ with Alexis!" Erica yelled at them both and Vicky staggered back into the room, looking less nauseous and more disbelieving. Vicky glared at him and then he followed her gaze to the table littered with bottles of hard liquor. He looked at her and her sick expression now matched Erica's in anger.

"This is so sick! Severus, you get Alexis drunk and do THIS! What kind of person are you!" She screamed at him and he looked at Alexis with terror, shaking his head as he saw her huddled in a corner, shaking slightly.

_I did make that first move... Oh my god... _Severus thought to himself as his breathing slowly but surely regulated. Severus was too lost in thought to realize that while Vicky had assumed him the culprit -and in his mind, she would have been right- Erica had assumed this all some master plan of Alexis's.

"Alexis! You get Severus drunk and do this! What about Ron?" Erica accused, and Severus wondered what the bloody hell she was going on about. _Alexis ever actually do something like that? ... Never... Nope..._ Severus thought as Alexis cringed at the accusations. _Oh yeah Azkaban is sounding pretty nice, then again so is death... I'm within the reach of how many knives and dangerous weapons that can cause death?..._ Severus thought, surveying the kitchen for any means in which to kill himself. He hardly listened to Vicky and Erica fight, deciding that life was now a futile venue, seeing as Alexis's husband was now going to fillet him.

"Alexis couldn't do such a thing. Severus on the other hand..." Vicky scolded and he put his head in his hands, wondering what in the hell had come over him as he slumped to sit on the cold floor, his knees weak.

"You're not helping this any Vicky! The fact is, they're both drunk and were about to do god-knows-what on the Kitchen floor!" Erica screamed loudly and Severus grimaced, the thoughts of the prior thirty minutes rushing through his mind. He shuddered at the thought, and then an even more gruesome one appeared.

_Vicky and Erica... Saved us... If they had not... No, I dare not think of what I might have done... Heavens know my soul's going to rot in hell for this..._ Severus thought to himself, his head buried as deep as possible in his arms. He didn't want to see anyone or hear anything he just wanted the world to go black with white noise. He wanted this to all disappear, but he knew not even magic could erase this night in his memory. Severus felt embarrassed that he had not controlled himself, that there was no stopping effort in it. He simple let his darker side bait him into doing something as it had done several times before.

Vicky gasped aloud and Severus tried to ignore her as she spoke but the words that came form her mouth burned him like hot acid. "No one would tell us why you two left the Manor, nor did any of them know where you were at exactly... does this mean... you _ran away_ together?" She questioned and had Severus eaten anything he would have thrown up right then and there. His head snapped up as he looked at the two women before him. He assumed they would think something like that, but never that he and Alexis had willingly 'ran away together', that was preposterous.

_Then again, so was what just happened...?_ Severus thought as Alexis spoke up, shaking her head as she buried it back into her arms, her voice trembled slightly.

"This is it. Hell has finally frozen over, and I'm stuck smack dab in the middle of it... funny, I always imagined the Kitchen would look like this..." She commented and Severus watched as Erica took on a face of incensed anger.

"You ran away to be together because no one would approve of it at the Manor! Oh my god, you people are messed up! Wait till I tell Artimis about this..." She snarled with a glare for both of them. Severus froze. _Artimis... She'll be sure to tell Ron, and he would fly here immediately and kill me... Well, life was nice..._ He thought to himself as Alexis laughed, though it was one of those on the edge of insanity laughs. She was trembling, he could visibly see, and rightfully so. He had just violated her, damn, he had just violated _himself_. Severus watched as Erica yanked Vicky towards the door, hissing to them as they left.

"I hope you two have fun while you still can. I have no choice but to tell the others, you brought this on yourselves... come on Vicky, we're going to England..." She stated as she followed Erica out and with the closing of the door Severus sighed and looked around. His shirt was draped on the table and he quietly got up to get it, pulling it on over his head with a hint of disgust.

Alexis remained curled against the wall with her head buried in her arms as her chest heaved and Severus thought she was crying. He sat there for fifteen minutes watching her, trying to figure out what they should do now. Deciding to make sure she was still alive before he killed himself, he moved toward her, hesitating as he barely touched her arm. She shrunk back from him, looking up as she hollered.

"Don't touch me! Just... don't touch me..." She demanded with a trembling voice as she stared at him and he backed up from her guiltily. He looked at her, concerned as to what this event had done to her, but he could no longer bear to look at her so he decided to delight in the designs of the floor. He found his voice finally and spoke lowly and hesitantly.

"Um... w, why you don't get the shower firs-" He began and she cut him off with a shaky demand.

"Yes. Then I'm drugging myself and going to sleep. And I don't care what they think; I'm not sleeping next to you tonight." Alexis told him shakily, pulling herself to her feet. He didn't even look up as she passed him and he heard her head into the bathroom. He stood up and grabbed and empty bottle, slamming it against wall in all of his pent up rage at himself.

_How could I... Ugh... _Severus thought as he began to pick up the pieces of the shattered bottle. He cut his hands a few times, but the pain was mind numbing and he welcomed it. Severus cleaned the kitchen, focusing on the task to ignore any and all reminders of the event. Instinctively and without thinking about it, he quickly made a pot of tea, pouring some for himself and downing it in two gulps. The rest he left in the pot, pouring a full vial of Alexis's elixir into it, knowing she was going to need it tonight. He just wished he had something for himself...

He left the tea there, trusting her to drink it, and stalked into the bedroom, making sure Alexis was not in there. He didn't think he could face her right now. He grabbed his pillow and blanket and tossed them on the couch. After an hour or two he heard Alexis come out of the bathroom and he walked in right past her, not seeing any of her but her feet.

He proceeded to scrub every inch of his body in the frigid water, ignoring the biting cold as he focused on his task. After an hour long frozen shower, Severus just collapsed on the bathroom floor, looking to the ceiling with disgust.

_If they hadn't stopped me... I don't know what I would have done... But that is a lie... I know exactly what I would have done and this nightmare would have been easily the worst of my life..._ Severus thought as he coldly and desperately clung to sleep like a beacon, but he knew that he would have dreams enough to wake the dead.

"Never again will I ever drink hard liquor when I am not alone in my locked room." He thought as he fell into miserable slumber.

--------------------------------

Later that night, the small meeting room resting in the warehouse was in an uproar.

"Mitchell, tell us once more what you and your team saw." Jackson commanded urgently, knowing the men in the room would not remain stationary and civil for long.

The agent nodded, still standing in front of the table as he spoke aloud. "Not three hours ago, two unidentified women, witches we deducted, appeared outside our target's room. They had interrupted a ..._ moment_, between the targets, much to their great surprise so it seemed. The conversation that presumed seemed to greatly stress the British couple as well. Why, we still don't know. But we did not delay in citing as much evidence as possible, and immediately sent the pictures to be analyzed. Leo should be here with the stats any moment."

"The second team hasn't come up with any evidence that their targets from across town might be the British agents-" One of the seated men started heatedly, and Jackson quickly corrected.

"_Yet. _We can't just barge in there and immediately assume they are our spies. If they weren't, the true team would find out about it and take precautions against us. We have to be certain on this, and only then, we'll _question_ them first."

"We should just kill them all and be done with it. I'm sick and tired of being on guard all the time over two measly spies!" One fellow stood up and growled, and several voices joined up in agreement, while a few others rose up in protest.

Jackson sighed, shaking his head, and then called out loudly to the man that had spoken up with a bit of frustrated sarcasm. "Yes. Kill them Francis. It's not like the Ministry of Magic will think that all the British couples in and around Boston being murdered is something odd. Maybe they'll just shrug their shoulders with an 'oh well' and come up with some lame excuse to the Brits about it. They would _never_ think of looking into it more deeply."

The swell of voices settled somewhat, and Francis scowled at him. Another man, sitting beside Jackson, stood and snapped. "Sit down Francis before you say something to further make an ass out of yourself. There's a lot more to this than just killing them and going on with this, you all should know that. They have information they might've already sent to our Ministry, so it would be idiotic to not question them. Think, people."

There was a murmur of reluctant agrees, and suddenly the door burst open, everyone jumping and some even pulling out a weapon in defense. A man stood there, wide eyed and breathing raggedly as he held up a piece of paper, looking to Jackson. Jackson stepped forward and snatched it, scanning it over carefully. His own eyes widened and he lowered the paper in surprise. Everyone stared at him in confusion as the man beside him took the paper, reading it, and then speaking aloud.

"The two women, indeed witches, were identified as Erica Barton and Vicky Adkins. Both cohorts with the Ministry in Britain, and accomplices to their Aurors, most specifically Artimis Callabella and Alexis Whyte."

The room was in a dead silence for a moment, and Jackson smiled, looking to the agent Mitchell. "I think you know what needs to be done. Just make sure they're uninjured enough to talk."

* * *

_**Who would have thought that I would try that?  
I mean, I'm not the person who wrote 'Dreams' or anything... hehehe...  
Please read and review...  
**Toodles,  
Deep Shadows_


	7. A Mage Without It's Magic

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 7  
****"A Mage Without It's Magic"  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker  
-----------------------------------

**Author's Note:** Finally Fanfiction has decided to allow me to actually update. You all must have been wondering what is going to happen now that Severus and Alexis almost crossed the line of no return. Well You'll just have to read to find out. And as for a note to Chao -- Your logic has made us go over this story and see that you were right about quite a lot, but Severus hasnt lost all his logic, nor has Alexis, they just acted in a emotional manner.--

* * *

Artimis sat in the lounge, her feet propped up as she sung her two year old daughter, Selena, to sleep. The small toddler was just dozing off, her thumb in her mouth as the front doors slammed open. Artimis jumped as Selena raised her head, now wide awake and fearful.

"Mummy, monsters..." Selena whined and Artimis shushed her, grabbing her wand and setting her daughter down in her chair. She crouched and moved to the hallway, hearing voices.

"Should we yell for her?"

"No, you dork, we'll wake the baby."

"The baby?... Oh! The baby..."

"Yeah..."

Artimis quickly recognized the voices as those of her friends, Erica and Vicky. She leapt out and they yelped in shock. Then Artimis noticed the haunted look in Vicky's eyes.

"What?" Artimis asked warily, looking at her and Vicky looked at Erica with foreboding.

"Artimis, we have to tell you something. About Severus and Alexis." Erica spoke solemnly and Artimis quickly grabbed them and pulled them into the lounge. She looked at her frightened daughter and sighed.

"Selena, hunny, go sleep in Mummy's bed with Daddy." She stated and the small girl rushed out of the room in the blink of an eye.

"Spill. Are they hurt? Captured? Dead?" Artimis demanded urgently and Vicky looked ill. Erica, on the other hand, looked angry.

"They are together." Erica stated and Artimis shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"DUH! Big fucking red truck. They are on a mission... Didn't they tell you that?" Artimis questioned, wondering what was going on.

"No, they are _together..._ As in we found them about to do the nasty on the kitchen floor." Vicky stated grimly, looking ill and near retching.

"No... You are joking me... Sev and Lex? Right... He wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole. What are the two of you on?" Artimis asked with a laugh and Erica shook her head, looking at Artimis seriously.

"Artimis... Trust me... Alexis is cheating on Ron with Severus..."

-------------------

Severus and Alexis had spent all of the next morning in silence. After Severus had made breakfast, Alexis went and watched cartoons all morning, eerily silent. Severus couldn't even look at Alexis without wanting to jump off of some cliff.

After about three hours of silence, Severus cracked and spoke, and they made a wary agreement that the night before _never happened_. It was all an elusive nightmare from hell and that they both could not let it get into the way of the Mission, for the time being. Alexis grudgingly agreed, and from that moment on, they both acted as if it never happened, though, both would continue thinking about it. Something like that just doesn't go away...

-------------------

Severus lay on his side on the couch, Alexis laying in the crevice his arm made as she yelled at the referee messing up the Red Sox game. Severus had no idea what baseball even was, but he had noticed that their Watchers were being even more nosy and bold. He even saw one of their faces.

He grimaced as Alexis moved nearer him absentmindedly, probably from the cold. She was munching on a bag of popcorn and occasionally throwing some at the television. He still couldn't believe the events the night before had happened. He had stealthily made it a point to dump every ounce of vodka, tequila and any other hard liquor hidden in the apartment down the drain. He would not risk a mishap or a replay of the prior night's events.

He shuddered at the imagery that ran though his mind and that was only reinforced with one glimpse at Alexis's neck. She had darkened bruises when he had taken it upon himself to... violate her. He had, in his mind, assumed full responsibility for the events and was biding his time, knowing Ron would be here soon enough to finish him off, and he wouldn't be surprised if he showed up tonight. That was the only reason he didn't drink the bleach he washed the clothes with, he didn't want to cheat Ron out of the pleasure of killing him.

The final inning, whatever that meant, ended and Alexis got up, shaking her head. "Bloody idiots. He was safe! How can you call that and out and sleep soundly at night?" Alexis yelled frustrated and Severus shook his head, groaning as he got up.

"I don't know, care, or wonder. I am going to take a shower. Then we can watch you bloody Matrix movie, alright?" He told her and she nodded, plopping down on the couch and switching on the cartoons, eyes glued to the screen as she shoved more popcorn in her mouth.

Severus sighed and walked to the bathroom, hoping for a scorching hot shower to somehow make him feel cleaner.

--------------------

He stood outside the apartment door, ear to the door as he listened to the muffled noises of the television set on the other side. Presently he heard footsteps and knew that they would have to be split up by now. A good thing. It would be much easier to subdue one than both of them together; he doubted they would be happy about it if they were together when he attacked.

He stepped away from the doorway, leaning down and as silently as possible drawing his wand, silently commanding in his mind. _Alohomora!_

The lock clicked, and he froze, holding his breath. No running footsteps sounded, so he relaxed, putting his wand away and pushing the door open ever so slowly. Looking in, he saw the familiar head of white hair facing the television, and knew that she was distracted enough.

Looking behind him, he silently gestured and four other men, dressed entirely in black as well as he, ghosted into the doorway, separating along all of the walls, silent as the grave and one with the shadows as they stationed around the living room, eyes locked on the small woman totally oblivious to all but her cartoons.

-------------------

Alexis sighed to herself as she munched on her popcorn, trying to immerse herself in the TV show as much as possible and hopefully drown out all other thoughts in her mind. No matter how hard she tried though, the events from the night before continued to pop up in her mind, making her shudder every time on cue. Never again would she speak of that little fiasco, but that didn't mean she couldn't stop thinking abut how utterly revolting it had been. And, in her mind, she had dumped full responsibility for those actions upon Severus.

_Damn him... he knows how 'out there' I am when I get drunk... if I didn't know him any better, I would've thought he purposely got drunk just to take advantage of me... but like I said, I know him enough to know that he's probably debating on drowning himself right at the moment... doesn't sound like too bad an idea though... _Alexis thought, shaking her head. She just hoped that when Ron found out, he wouldn't yell at her _too _bad. She knew he would never hurt her, but he could sure make her sleep on the couch. That is, if she couldn't convince him that it had all been a _grave_ misunderstanding. _Ha, misunderstanding... what's there to misunderstand? All I can tell them is that it wasn't my fault... beautiful excuse... _She thought grimly.

She shook her head again, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind setting off her senses. She just shrugged it off as paranoia. After a few moments though it still didn't let off, and Alexis had the distinct feeling that she was being watched. Setting her popcorn down slowly, she looked behind her, though at first she didn't see anything in the darkness of their small and cold apartment. She sighed, going to turn back to her TV show when a slight movement caught her eye.

_There's something else in here... _Alexis thought tensely as she spun back around, freezing though this time as five forms detached themselves from the walls and flew towards her. Her instincts took over and she ducked down as two bodies flew over the couch, just missing her. She scrambled off of the couch, backing up towards a corner as the black-clothed people formed a loose semi-circle around her, slowly closing in.

She looked around with wide eyes, feeling like a cornered animal as she looked for some sort of weapon. She knew she couldn't use magic, nor turn to her Animagus form, but there wasn't any weapon she could use in defense either, unless she just threw the TV at them or something.

_Damn... guess I'm going to have to go all Kung Fu on their asses or something... there's only about ah... five of them... damn, I'm going to need Severus... _Alexis thought to herself grimly as one of the men spoke lowly.

"Let's not make this hard alright? No one will get hurt so long as you come along quietly... we'd just like some answers to a few questions, and we'll move on from there..."

Alexis's breath hitched in her throat as she thought. _They're the agents... damn, busted big time... it would bloody figure..._

Aloud she growled to them defensively. "Me? Quiet? Ha, you guys don't know what you're getting into..."

They stopped their approach with slight confusion momentarily, and Alexis took that time to run forward and somersault over them, landing behind one lithely. She kicked out into his kidneys and the man fell to his knees with a pained grunt as the others turned with angry looks in their eyes.

_Well, this is going to be fun..._ She thought, ducking as one man lunged at her and sweeping out her leg to trip him. This time though, he jumped over her leg, smirking at Alexis's scowl.

The men quickly formed a circle around her, and Alexis jumped up as several hands grasped at her simultaneously. She struggled violently, biting and punching at every available piece of flesh and squirming out of the mass of bodies as they growled and yelped in angered frustration. She stumbled backwards as they turned and Alexis knew that she'd have to do something quick.

_They already know who we are, so our cover's blown... I'm not going to let them take us that easily... _Alexis thought as she focused on her anger with finality, searching for the power that called up her magical green flames. But as soon as she found it, it slipped away, leaving her standing there in confusion. Perturbed, she focused harder, holding up her hands and staring at them, willing the jets of flame to appear. All she came away with was a headache, the magic slipping away into the corners of her mind.

She looked up with wide and fearful eyes, whispering aloud, and then yelling with panic. "Uh oh... Sev- HARRY!" Just as three of the men tackled her forcefully to the ground.

She lashed out with fist and foot, but was beaten down under a rain of blows, gasping out and yelping with pain. Her arms were yanked roughly behind her back, and she winced, then growled and kicked at the man in front of her. He fell back, but another took his place, punching her in the stomach and making her double over breathlessly.

She gritted her teeth though; ramming her head back and feeling it connect with a head, all the while desperately willing for her Pyro abilities to work. The arms let her go, and she immediately swung out at the bodies above her. Her arms were grabbed by several pairs of rough hands again, and she fought viciously, never letting up regardless the barrage of blows to her small form.

Breathing was becoming difficult, she was sure a rib or two were broken, and she spit out blood, desperately hoping the injuries weren't too serious. And where the hell was Severus?

Her arms had been pinned at her sides, and she found enough time to yelp. "Damnit Harry, you ass! Where are y-" But was silenced as a foot connected to her side, making her double over in agonized pain as she hissed. She looked up dazedly with a woozy glare, kicking out forcefully at the guy's knee, hearing a satisfied crack and a howl of pain, but he lashed out as well, grabbing her ankle and twisting it, sending lancing pains through her leg. She whimpered, kicking him with her other foot, then feeling one hand let go of her arms.

She squirmed, managing to her knees, and looked up with anger and ignoring the pains from her bruised body. Her breath caught in her throat though, and the last sight she saw was a huge round object rushing towards her. Then it all went painfully black, and she could've sworn she heard cuckoo birds in her mind before she fell into numb senselessness.

-------------------

Severus stood under the scorching heat of the hot water rushing over his body. He vigorously scrubbed all over, trying to wash away what he saw as his guilt. But him, Severus Snape, feel guilty? Damn right.

Severus washed as a thought came to mind, making him nearly fall over at the it. _Oh gods... I'm the dirty old man..._ He thought with a shudder as he considered the significant age difference between himself and Alexis. Hell, he dated her kind-of aunt when they were in school together!

"Gross." He hissed to himself, raising his arms to scrub his hair. He heard a bit off a scuffling noise over the water, but disregarded it as Alexis acting out her cartoons, again. A few seconds later though, he swore he heard her yell his 'name'. He couldn't understand what she was going on about, but did he really care?

_Is she watching another game or something?... What, do they have Blue Sox too?... Damn American Muggles... What happened to sensible sports, like polo and rugby?..._ Severus thought as he rinsed his hair out, shaking it under the shower head. After a bit odder scuffling he distinctly heard Alexis yelling.

"Damnit Harry, you ass! Where are y-" And her words were strangely cut off.

_What did she do now?_... He thought as he stepped out of the shower, not bothering to turn it off, seeing as he was getting back in. He wrapped a towel around his waist and looked out to see what the hell was wrong with Alexis. He did not expect what he saw through the bedroom door. Four or five, he couldn't quite count; black clad men were beating the hell out of Alexis. Severus braced to enter the fray and then thought twice.

_Being towel clad does not do well when battling..._ Severus thought as he dove back into the bathroom and quickly pulled on a pair of pants. The shirt would have to wait till later. He ran out of the bathroom, his wand still in the bedroom.

Alexis was being held on the floor, her hands being pinned at her sides and Severus wondered what the hell was going on. Then seeing the vulnerable position Alexis was in, his mind went into fighter mode. She was his team mate, he had to protect her.

He looked around for a weapon and only saw a frying pan in the sink in the Kitchen. Sighing, he raced around the people immersed in keeping Alexis down and grabbed the pan, moving forward and hitting one of the idiots in the back of the head, making him fall to the floor out cold. Severus had no time to move then as he was slammed full force in the stomach with a fist. The fool who was holding Alexis on the floor had lifted his fist and hit him, losing his hold on Alexis. His mistake.

Severus pushed back the pain and pulled his pan back and began to swing at the moron. But at the instant, Alexis got to her knees and lifted her head, eyes wide in shock. Severus pulled back a bit on the pan but it was already making contact with her skull at that point.

Cursing under his breath, he watched her tumble to the floor and he kicked the man to his left angrily, sending him flying backwards onto the couch. Severus bashed one that had his arm in the elbow, breaking it audibly, him stumbling back with a grimace.

Severus then turned and kicked the man still on his knees near Alexis. Unfazed, he grabbed Severus's leg and Severus tripped over Alexis, trying not to step on her, and fell on his ass, dropping the pan. He quickly lunged forward, latching his hands around the man's throat and choking the idiot until he passed out.

Severus then felt someone kick him in the ribs and he gulped for precious air as he rolled aside, his blood full of adrenaline as he turned with an angered scowl. He glimpsed a fist coming toward his face and he moved, letting his assailant fall forward with a surprised yelp. He then reached for the pan and swung, knocking out the man as he passed by, letting him fall to the floor in an unconscious heap.

Severus looked around for more attackers; body tensed and eyes wide, but found none. He finally relaxed slightly, groaning as he inhaled, realizing gratefully after a quick inspection that he had only bruised his ribs and not broken anything, then made sure all the men were unconscious.

Severus then looked over to Alexis's prone form and cursed colorfully. He ran over to her, looking her over, noticing that he had hit her hard enough to make her bleed.

"Alexis, get up." He spoke quietly as he kneeled down, grabbing her shoulders and jostling her softly a bit. She didn't even groan.

"Oh gods, I've killed her." He thought with a twinge of panic as he leaned his head down, placing his ear to her chest. He heard the steady beat of her heart and could feel her chest rising and falling shallowly. He then noticed that he was way to close to her.

"Alexis, get up. Please, get up!" He yelled as he sat bolt upright, shaking her shoulders and scanning her worriedly, noticing the extent of her bruising. He then realized that she needed medical attention as soon as possible, and that he couldn't use magic or potions to heal her.

"Oh damn it. I have to take her to a hospital." He thought aloud as he looked her over, making sure she wasn't too injured for him to carry. He quickly walked to the bathroom then and completely dressed. Grabbing a blanket from the bedroom, he ran to Alexis's side and knelt next to where she was laying. He picked her up very carefully and wrapped her in it to avoid the blistering cold outside.

Cursing the powers that be, the ministry, and every one of the Aurors, he carried her down the stairs and put her in the car gently, leaning the seat back all the way. He buckled her in and then went to his side of the car and jumped in.

"Okay, where did she say it was?" He asked himself as he shook his head, pulling the car out of the driveway, slamming on the brakes as a car sped past on the road. He growled and honked the horn loudly, then looked to make sure Alexis was alright. She hadn't moved, and her head and numerous other cuts continued to bleed, and he knew that he had to get her help fast.

He drove around for ten minutes in utter confusion and growing angst until he stopped at a gas station and asked. After that, it took only five minutes to get to the hospital. He pulled into an area next to an entrance to the sprawling complex. Shoving the car in park and pocketing the keys, he ran around and carefully unbuckled Alexis, hoisting her in his arms as he ran into the front lobby, looking around frantically.

Several people looked up at him curiously, yet no one came to his aid. _Damn Muggles... so bloody ignorant to everything... _He growled to himself as he hollered. "Can one of you bloody doctors actually help here, or do you all get paid to just sit around and stare!"

A few seconds later, a woman in a white outfit bustled up, looking at him and Alexis with confusion. "Yes sir, what might be the problem?"  
_What the hell do you think? I'm carrying a beat up, unconscious woman! Put two and two together you imbecile! _He thought angrily, though calmed himself as spoke. "She's hurt and needs medical attention immediately."

The woman nodded, then ran into a side room, leaving Severus there in confusion. The muggles continued to stare at him, and he fought back every urge to start yelling at them. Then two male doctors came out, steering towards him a bed on wheels. _About bloody time... a person could drop dead in here and they wouldn't know until they tried to ask him... _

One of the men reached for Alexis, and he stepped back instinctively, holding her close. The nurse spoke in a slow voice. "Sir, we'll need you to cooperate. Please set her on the gurney so we can get her to the emergency room."

"Well you could've said that in the first place..." Severus growled as he stepped forward, gently setting Alexis on the rolling bed. Immediately, the men started wheeling her off at a quick pace, leaving Severus standing there in shock as another nurse ran up to him, attempting to get his name from him. He completely ignored her as his paranoia set off and he started racing after the doctors. He'd be damned if he was going to let these Muggles whisk Alexis away somewhere without him knowing.

He ran behind the doctors, looking over their shoulders at Alexis worriedly, wondering what the hell these people were going to do. They pushed her into a room with another of the uncomfortable looking beds, wheeling theirs beside it and lifting Alexis onto it smoothly.

Severus looked around nervously, seeing the odd machinery and what he guessed were medical supplies and devices around the room. The two doctors crowded about Alexis, joined by two nurses, and Severus stepped forward to watch their actions. _I swear, if they make her worse than she already is, I'll curse them all into oblivion... _Severus thought as a nurse wheeled in a table of medical supplies and a pole with a bag of water on it, which confused the hell out of him. The doctors scanned the unconscious woman carefully, and then the nurse stepped forward with a syringe.

Severus immediately went into protective/freaked-out mode. "What are you doing?" He growled warningly, looking at the needle warily and shuddering internally. He hated those blasted things...

A nurse walked up to him, placing a hand on his arm and pulling him gently back towards the door of the room. "Sir, let us do our job. She'll be fine under our care..."  
"Why do you need the needle? That isn't necessary..." Severus continued, watching as the woman with the needle approached Alexis.

"Sir, we know what we're doing. Please help us by staying out of the way..." The blasted woman continued to speak to him in a low voice, making it seem like she was speaking to a child. The other nurse then stuck the needle in Alexis's arm, and Severus cringed, then shoved the pestering nurse beside him away, stepping forward as he spoke angrily. "What was in that needle?"

For all he knew, they could be drugging her with something that could kill her. _Idiotic Muggles... having to use those demonic things... no wonder they're the inferior race..._  
The doctors turned to look at him, one gesturing to another nurse. They were everywhere...

Now two were on him, pushing him back towards the door as he watched the nurse who first stuck Alexis pull out another longer needle. He growled, shoving the women away from him like gnats and walking towards the other nurse, but was too late as she stuck Alexis again, though this time leaving the bloody thing in her arm.

_What kind of people are these! Bad enough sticking her once, that has to be bloody torture! _He thought with angered wonder, walking up beside the doctor as he spoke. "I demand to know what was in those needles and why you continue to use them."

The doctor looked up at him with confusion, then turned and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please sir, why don't you wait outside...?"

"I don't need to bloody wait outside! I need to make sure what you're doing is humane and actually helping her! No one should be subjected to such horrible devices..." Severus yelled angrily as he was shoved towards the door. The doctor succeeded in pushing him out of them, and Severus ran up to them once more, pulling on the handles but finding the doors locked.

"Damnit!" He growled, kicking the door hard before gazing anxiously into the round window. Alexis was hidden from view by the several bodies, and he sighed, turning away from the door and pacing in front of it, cursing himself for bringing her here in the first place. _Maybe I should've just used magic instead..._

About fifteen minutes passed, Severus growing dizzy with all his pacing, but still worrying over the actions of these people Muggles affectionately called their 'doctors'. "If they're so bloody smart, how come they still haven't found a cure for cancer? Idiots, the lot of them..." He grumbled darkly.

The doors swung open then, and Severus turned to it with a hopeful gaze. A doctor was walking out of it, pulling slightly bloodied gloves off his hands.

Severus looked at him warily, asking quickly. "Well? Is she alright?"

The man smiled gently, speaking in a calm voice. "Yes, she's going to be fine. She's being moved to a room right now."  
"What is wrong with her?" Severus commanded relentlessly, wanting to know every detail of their actions in that room.

"Well, she has a major concussion, which accounts for her unconsciousness. We also found three broken ribs, none of which gratefully punctured any organs, and her ankle is strained. There is an extensive amount of bruising and smaller lacerations; the ones that we needn't have patched up will heal themselves perfectly in time. I suggest she stay here for about two to three days for observation."

"Two or three days! In this bloody place?" Severus exclaimed with amazement. Stuck here, amongst a ton of these wacky doctors and their needles? They had to be joking. Though the doctor didn't quite look like a joking kind of man.

He continued on, ignoring Severus's remarks. "Yes. And we'll need you to fill out some paperwork during your stay here. The girl is in room 316."

Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose at the headache throbbing in his mind. He decided arguing would be futile with these ignorant humans and nodded, asking directions to the room and nothing else, heading there quickly.

_I believe life hates me... that's got to be the only reason for these things... it's chosen me to hate with all it's essence, and is bent on making me as miserable as bloody possible before killing me... no, killing me would be a mercy..._ Severus thought grimly to himself as he found the room, entering it warily, hating the eerie silence of it. He saw Alexis lying in one of the beds, still out cold with a light blanket strewn over her. Her head had been bandaged tightly, along with her ankle, and there was this plastic tube around her head and partly in her nose, while a larger tube traveled to her arm from the pole with the water bag. He noticed it was attached to the very needle that they had stuck her with earlier.

He shuddered and grimaced at it, wondering aloud. "Maybe I should just take it out, it looks painful... no, they five more of those bloody nurses would probably be in here..." He grumbled, sighing as he shook his head while watching Alexis lay there for a moment.

"This whole bloody mission should've been thrown to the dogs, America isn't that important... I will never do anything for the Ministry again, no matter how much they bribe or threaten me..." He growled, pulling up a chair beside Alexis's bed and sitting in it, promising himself that no other doctor would stick her with any more of those blasted devices while he was there.

He looked around, grabbing a broom leaning against a wall after a thought, holding it close. _No harm in being prepared... a frying pan worked last time, why wouldn't a broom? _He thought, and then was suddenly overcome with a bout of sleepiness.

He yawned, leaning back in the chair, distractedly gazing at Alexis as he smirked, speaking to himself. "I beat off all five of them, by myself; with a frying pan... damn am I good... hitting her didn't count though..." He mumbled as he dozed off into a light sleep, still clutching the broom.

------------------

Alexis groaned painfully, head aching something fierce as she swallowed, her throat parched. She was surprised that she was actually in a bed and warm, something she didn't expect. A wave of weariness descended on her once more, but a sense of urgency pushed it back, and Alexis knew there was something she had to say. She opened her eyes a crack, the dim lighting still stinging her vision, which was blurry. She squinted though, thinking that she saw Severus leaning over her, actually looking _worried_.

"Dude... this is like, one whacked out dream... all we need is dancing unicorns... you know, I knew someone once who was trying to train them to dance..."She mumbled aloud sluggishly, looking past him as a nurse walked into the room, Severus turning to her instead.

Alexis suddenly remembered that there were some type of agents and they had found out something. Details were pretty fuzzy to her, but she knew that Severus had to know, that was all that mattered.

Her eyes widened with shock and sat bolt upright, making Severus and the nurse jump as she choked out. "Severus! They know... the agents..." She then groaned, growing painfully dizzy from the sudden movement.

Severus was suddenly beside her, pushing her gently back onto the bed and looking at her with confusion. She shook away her pain as she spoke with a scratchy voice, gazing up at him. "That's why, they were there... They know... about us Severus..."

Severus's gaze darted to look at the nurse, who was watching them curiously, and then he spoke in a low, calm voice.

"It's okay Lindsey... you're just delirious... everything's going to be okay now..."

Alexis looked at him in confusion, having forgotten that they were still under cover in her fevered semiconciousness. Though she couldn't go back to sleep now, they were in trouble, that's all she knew.

"Who's Lindsey? Oh, who cares... No Severus... the agents... something about the agents..." She mumbled, trying to remember through her ferocious headache the reason she had to tell him about these agents. But for the life of her, she couldn't remember. Severus looked at her with continued confusion, irritating Alexis further. The nurse walked forward, grabbing some tube that was oddly connected to her arm. Watching her wonderingly, she stuck a needle into it, and some liquid flowed into the tube, leaking into her arm. Severus followed her gaze, looking at the nurse and standing up with a look of slight anger.

Alexis's vision swirled as the sedative took effect, and the pain floated away from her body. _Dude... never knew they could make light bulbs look like kaleidoscopes... _Alexis thought with a small drugged smile as her vision faded, and the last thing she heard before passing out was Severus's voice. "What was in that needle?..."

---------

Alexis came to awareness once more, though this time her head was much clearer and only throbbing dully behind her temples. She shifted slightly, then hissing in pain as her ribs sent lances of agony through her side, as she deemed it not yet wise to move. She opened her eyes, her vision still pretty fuzzy, and saw a form slumped in a chair next to her. She tried to speak out, but her throat was too dry to speak. She coughed spasmodically, and then closed her eyes as she winced in pain at the movement, lying there stiffly. She suddenly felt arms under her shoulders, slowly lifting her up, and a glass held up to her lips. She gratefully took a long drink of the water, and then sighed, the arms leaning her back onto the bed.

She opened her eyes once more wearily, her vision clearer, and saw Severus leaning next to her, a drinking glass in his hand as he watched her carefully.

_Okay... that was just weird... maybe I'm delusional... oh well..._ She thought as Severus asked lowly. "Are you alright?"

"Why don't you tell me..." Alexis mumbled, unintentionally sounding snape-ish. _Well, he would too if he got his ass kicked and then bashed in the head... what they hell did they use anyway, a frying pan?_

"Yes, you're fine..." Severus spoke with a raised eyebrow, leaning back in his chair.

"Sorry... still not awake I guess..." Alexis mumbled, feeling the bandage around her sore head.

"You would be if those bloody nurses hadn't drugged you again..." Severus growled lowly, and Alexis looked at him in confusion.

He shook his head, asking quietly as he leaned forward once more, looking serious. "You said something earlier about the agents, what was that?"

"I did? When?" Alexis asked, not remembering waking up earlier.

"You woke up once a couple of hours ago. You said the agents knew. What do they know Alexis?" Severus questioned urgently and Alexis sighed.

"Oh yeah... they said something about taking us to go get questioned... now, if it were just some dudes trying to break in, I doubt there'd be five of them and would want to question us. I mean, question us about what? Our secret stash of money? Which is like, a grand total of fifty bucks..."

"Okay okay, I get the point." Severus hushed her as he leaned back in his seat, looking thoughtful. Alexis shook her head, not realizing that she was rambling. _Some pretty good drugs I guess... too bad they don't actually fix anything... _Alexis thought grimly, looking down and seeing her ankle bandaged as well.

"Well that sucks..." She grumbled darkly, yawning tiredly as Severus watched her, actually kind of weirding her out. She asked him curiously to break the silence. "So, how long have we been here?"

Severus was quiet for a moment, and then spoke calmly. "It's five in the afternoon. I brought you here at about nine last night."

Alexis's eyes widened in surprise. "I've been sleeping that bloody long! Jeesh... What did they knock me out with? Did they get a hold of our baseball bat or something?"  
Severus looked away at that question, and Alexis imagined that he almost looked guilty. Watching him curiously, she questioned. "Sev?"

"It's Harry. We're still under cover." Severus hissed quietly, looking back at her with a half hearted glare. _Ooh, touchy... go back to bed... hey, not to bad an idea... _Alexis thought as she shrugged, yawning once again.

She sighed; leaning into the soft pillow as she quietly asked him something that she just remembered. "Harry? Last night when I was fighting them... I tried to use my fla- my _powers_-", she said in a low voice, "-but I couldn't. I think something's wrong, but I've never been able to not use them before. You have any clue as to what might be the issue?"  
Severus didn't answer her as he studied his hands with a distracted gaze. She frowned, growing annoyed at his continued knack for ignoring her questions. "Harry, I asked if you-"

"I'm starving. I'm going to go see if the cafeteria is open or something. Do you want anything?" Severus cut her off abruptly, standing suddenly and still not meeting her gaze.

Alexis glared at him. "Hold on a moment-"

"I'll bring you something anyway. I'll be right back..." He cut her off again, hurriedly leaving the room as Alexis called after him. "Hey you dork, I'm not done yet!... Gosh, men... you can't live with them, you can't kill them..."

She grumbled to herself, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling. _Now I _know_ he's hiding something from me... otherwise he would've come up with some smart ass remark that I'd have to counter with a better one... so predictable... _She thought to herself with another cavernous yawn. "I'll just pester him when he gets back... maybe he'll bring back a cheeseburger..." She wondered aloud, but within minutes she was once again fast asleep before he could return.

--------------------------

Severus awoke when he heard a nurse walking toward the room, his hands loosening their grip on the broom. He noticed that Alexis was showing signs of a pained awakening. Severus stood up, groaning as he had to move his sore ribs. He stood at the side of the bed, looking over Alexis in worry. Alexis's eyes squinted opened and she mumbled near incoherently.

"Dude... this is like, one whacked out dream... all we need is dancing unicorns... you know, I knew someone once who was trying to train them to dance..."She mumbled and Severus looked as the nurse walked in. Severus looked at nurse, hoping that Alexis would not decide to forget that they were still undercover. Alexis sat bolt right up and Severus jumped in surprise. She began to rant frantically and Severus knew he had hoped too much of her.

"Severus! They know... the agents..." She stated and then she groaned. Severus moved to right beside her and pushed her down, wanting to hear what she had to say, but wanting to keep her quiet. He looked at her with confusion and she looked up at him, her voice scratchy.

"That's why, they were there... They know... about us Severus..." She told him and he frantically thought of how to silence Alexis and get the boring eyes out of the back of his head. He looked at the nurse, who was watching them curiously, and then he spoke in a low, calm voice to her.

"It's okay Lindsey... you're just delirious... everything's going to be okay now..." He cooed to her, hoping to get the point across. All Alexis did was look at him in confusion.

_Great... She has forgotten we are undercover..._ He thought, trying to calm Alexis.

"Who's Lindsey? Oh, who cares... No Severus... the agents... something about the agents..." Alexis mumbled and Severus looked at her with confusion still.

_What about the agents... Do they know our identity?..._ He thought as he watched her face as she tried to think.

The nurse walked forward, grabbing some tube that was connected to Alexis's arm through the needle. Severus followed Alexis's gaze and stood, anger etched on his face.

_How dare she drug her without my express permission... I am supposed to be her significant other to the damned people... What, does that mean nothing to them in America... Bloody muggles..._ Severus thought as he glared at the nurse, who looked at him indifferently.

"What was in that needle?..." He demanded and the nurse shook her head at him.

"Morphine. For her pain." She replied shortly and then she walked out, shaking her head, muttering.

"Damn foreigners."

If Severus had been himself and not undercover and not worried for Alexis's safety, he would have hexed that woman so bad her ancestors would have felt it. At the present moment though, he was more concerned with Alexis and what she meant by the agents. He had not quite thought the agents would have blatantly attacked them, but then again, he never thought the ministry would make him 'date' Alexis. He shook his head as he looked Alexis over, seeing that she was alive and he then sat in the chair, grabbing his broom once again as he dwelled on Alexis's words.

_"They know... about us Severus...the agents... something about the agents..."_

---------

A few hours later Severus had dozed off in his chair, sleeping uncomfortably. He awoke as he heard Alexis coughing dryly. He stood quickly, moving to her side to see what her ailment was. The way he had figured it, if he let those bloody nurses and doctors continue to drug her they would end up killing her, so he would have to keep a constant eye on her. She closed her eyes as she coughed; wincing in the pain and Severus lifted her up, grabbing the cup of water from the bedside table and held it to her lips. He watched as Alexis took a long grateful drink of the water and he then removed the glass from her lips, not wanting her to drown in it. He laid her back down on the bed gently as to not further injure her sides. He would need her to heal as fast as possible so they could get on with this mission and so they could get back home.

She opened her eyes and looked at him and he set the glass back down, watching her movements carefully. Gods knew how much of that 'morphine' they had given her.

"Are you alright?" He asked her lowly and she looked at him.

"Why don't you tell me..." Alexis snapped at him and he knew she was back to her old self, whiney, bitchy, and annoying.

"Yes, you're fine..." He told her with a raised eyebrow, leaning back in his chair in relief.

"Sorry... still not awake I guess..." Alexis apologized as she rubbed her head over the bandage they placed there.

"You would be if those bloody nurses hadn't drugged you again..." Severus growled lowly in anger, shaking his head. The last nurse that came in got quite a tongue-lashing from him. Alexis looked at him in confusion and he shook his head, leaning forward, looking seriously at her. He needed an answer to his questions. He needed to know how much trouble they were in.

"You said something earlier about the agents, what was that?" He asked her and she looked at him in confusion.

"I did? When?" Alexis asked him and he knew she didn't remember a damned thing. Just his bloody luck. Could something go right for once? This whole bloody hospital ordeal was enough to drive him mad. First, he was almost arrested because they thought he had beat the hell out of her, then after clearing all that up they continued to drug her so now she had no idea what was so important that it had her in hysterics earlier. _Bloody muggles..._ He thought, that becoming his new mantra.

"You woke up once a couple of hours ago. You said the agents knew. What do they know Alexis?" Severus questioned her again urgently and she had the look of one with a light-bulb over their head.

"Oh yeah... they said something about taking us to go get questioned... now, if it were just some dudes trying to break in, I doubt there'd be five of them and would want to question us. I mean, question us about what? Our secret stash of money? Which is like, a grand total of fifty bucks..." She ranted and Severus silenced her, dwelling on this information.

"Okay, Okay, I get the point." He said as he leaned back in his seat, wondering what they were going to do now and how safe it was for them here. Alexis shook her head and Severus watched her carefully, seeing that she was not as injured as they made her out to be. She looked at her bandaged ankle and grimaced in frustration.

"Well that sucks..." She mused darkly, yawning tiredly and Severus wondered if the medication was still in her system. The room was eerily silent and then Alexis spoke, much to Severus's pleasure, because the silence only added to his troubled mind.

"So, how long have we been here?" She asked and Severus thought before he answered her. How long had they been there? Glancing at the clock, he answered.

"It's five in the afternoon. I brought you here at about nine last night." He told her calmly and her eyes widened in surprise.

"I've been sleeping that bloody long! Jeesh... What did they knock me out with? Did they get a hold of our baseball bat or something?" She asked and Severus looked away in his shame.

_No, more like I hit you with a frying pan..._ He thought and he knew she was watching him.

"Sev?" She spoke and he thought it high time she remembered what the hell was going on.

"It's Harry. We're still under cover." Severus hissed at her quietly, giving her a glare that he just wasn't feeling. She shrugged at him, yawning once again as she sighed, lying into the pillow. She was silent for a moment, too silent. He knew she was about to ask him something before she even inhaled the breath.

"Harry? Last night when I was fighting them... I tried to use my fla- my _powers_-", She paused as she spoke in a low voice, "-but I couldn't. I think something's wrong, but I've never been able to not use them before. You have any clue as to what might be the issue?" Alexis directly questioned him and he looked at his hands, not answering her while he studied his hands distractedly. He hoped she would let that question go. He didn't think he could deal with the wrath from that answer, bad enough he had given her a concussion, but he took away her defenses when she needed them most. _Damn the ministry to hell..._ He thought as she inhaled again.

"Harry, I asked if you-" She asked him again and he went into diversion tactics. He needed to get out of here to think and while she was awake he could be sure she would be safe on her own.

"I'm starving. I'm going to go see if the cafeteria is open or something. Do you want anything?" Severus cut her off abruptly, standing quickly, looking at the door away from her.

"Hold on a moment-" She began and he cut her off again.

"I'll bring you something anyway. I'll be right back..." He told her as he hurried out of the room. He could hear her yelling after him, but he just kept walking.

"Hey you dork, I'm not done yet!... Gosh, men... you can't live with them, you can't kill them..."

Severus walked to cafeteria, absentmindedly grabbing some Jell-O for Alexis as he pondered on their predicament. They didn't have enough evidence to finish the mission, they couldn't call in another team, and they most certainly were not safe anymore. He began to head back Alexis's room, watching his feet as he walked. He was suddenly rammed into by a very big man and Severus looked up at the man's face. He inhaled in shock as he recognized the face. The man was the agent he had seen in the window, on of the men who had done this to Alexis. Severus quickly looked back at the floor and marched off to Alexis's room. They were no longer safe here. He walked into Alexis's room to see her lying asleep in the bed.

"Damnit, I'm too late." He hissed in panic as he quickly moved toward the bed, dropping the Jell-O to the side as he checked her vitals worriedly. He sighed in relief upon finding that she had a pulse and was breathing.

"Get up, NOW!" Severus told her and she jumped, startled.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" Alexis demanded and Severus had no time for idle chitchat. He took Alexis's arm, looking at the needle in her arm. He slowly took of the tape, ignoring Alexis's curious looks. He grasped the needle in his fingers and slowly slid the needle out of her skin, her wincing in minor pain. He quickly covered the wound and looked at Alexis.

"We are going now." He told her and Alexis looked at him curiously.

"What? Why?" She asked and he shook his head at her, standing as he scooped her in his arms.

"We are going because the agents are here, and if you are healed enough to yell at me, you are healed enough to go home." He told her and with that Severus stealthily marched out of the hospital, narrowly missing both the doctors and the agent as he sneaked her out of the building.

* * *

**So now Severus has to deal with Alexis and her pains... How is this going to go over...  
Does Deep Shadows have yet another scene up her sleeve,  
Or has EckoStalker put the muzzle back on?  
Wait and see...**

**Toodles,  
The Misfits  
Deep Shadows & EckoStalker**


	8. Helping Hands 8 Part 1

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 8 Part I  
****"Helping Hands''  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker  
----------------------------------

**Author's Notes:** This is two parts because there was so much we wanted to do in this chapter but wanted to give a nice break in between. Just when you though things couldn't get worse. They did...

* * *

Alexis was sleeping lightly in the hospital bed, unconsciously basking in the warmth of the room that she hadn't felt too often these past three weeks. Dimly she felt a presence hovering about her, but she was too damn cozy to care. That is, until that presence quickly turned menacing.

A sharp voice cut into her mind, jerking her back to the world of waking. "Get up, NOW!"

She jumped eyes wide and unfocused as she tensed, looking up in shock, She saw Severus leaning over her, wide eyed and looking extremely miffed. Slightly angered at the rude awakening, she demanded of him. "Whoa, where's the fire?"

He didn't answer her as he took her arm that had the IV needle in it, studying it intently, much too her confusion. Without a word, he proceeded to slowly remove the tape from around the lodged needle. _What the hell is he doing..._ Alexis thought to herself, taken by surprise when he quickly grasped the needle and carefully slid it out of her skin, and she winced slightly at the stinging. She was about to ask him what the hell was going on, but he nixed that idea as he quickly pressed a Band-Aid over the wound and looked up at her, looking dead serious as he explained simply.

"We are going now."

"What? Why?" She asked, growing a little nervous now by his urgent actions. He explained as he surprisingly leaned down, scooping her carefully into his arms, Alexis hitching her breath at her aching ribs as he stared at him in surprise.

"We are going because the agents are here, and if you are healed enough to yell at me, you are healed enough to go home." He stated simply, turning and leaving the room, sneaking her around the bulk of hospital staff, constantly looking over his shoulder and not even acknowledging the fact that he was carrying her.

_Wait... he's carrying me... why? I can walk fine by myself... well... maybe a little..._ She thought as she glanced at her bandaged ankle with a frown. Severus made it to the parking lot, going and unlocking the passenger side door and setting her in the seat. Alexis reached for her seatbelt, but he beat her to it, quickly snapping it around her that whisking around to the driver's side.

Alexis stared at him in utmost confusion as he ignored her, pealing out of the parking lot and turning onto the main road, looking in the rearview mirrors nervously.

After a silent moment, Alexis shook her head and asked him slowly. "Okay, maybe now you can explain why you basically just whisked me off my feet, put me in the car, and then even proceeded to buckle me in? Last time I checked, I was old enough to all that by myself..."

Severus answered her curtly. "I wasn't in the mood to deal with your arguments and slowness. Last time _I _checked, you had a sprained ankle. Just live with it alright..." He snapped, shaking his head as he watched the road.

Alexis shook her head as well, looking down at herself as she thought to herself slowly, trying to reorient her thoughts. _Alright. Nothing to it. We're just on a mission, trying not to get killed by our own targets, and I'm in a bloody paper thin hospital gown... nothing to it at all... I hate my life..._

She looked discreetly at Severus, who was muttering softly as he glared at the road in front of them. "Okay, so I'm going to die whatever I choose... either by these agents, or by Ron once he finds out about all this...I guess life was... well, saying it was good would just be pushing it..."

Alexis shook her head, tightening her seatbelt slightly as she thought drearily, looking down. _Oh joy, Severus has finally lost it... and he's the one driving... this is just beautiful..._

She happened to glance up once more, seeing a yellow light. She glanced then at Severus, thinking he would slow down. He had a look of contemplation on his face, and then Alexis felt the car speeding up. She tensed, gaze darting from Severus to the light as it turned red. She looked back at Severus with wide, confused eyes, wondering what the hell he was going to do as he stared at the road, his foot pressing the gas pedal to the floor.

_HE'S GOING TO GET US KILLED! _Alexis leaned back in her seat frightfully as Severus sped through the red light, Alexis hearing honking horns behind them as Severus continued driving, an odd smirk on his features. Alexis finally found her voice, trembling slightly as she turned and glared at Severus, hollering. "What the hell are you doing! Do you _want _to die right now! Do you hate me that much to kill me as well! You psycho!"

Severus merely shrugged, explaining in a calm voice. "I just wanted to make sure you were awake and alert. I guess you are."

Alexis shook her head at him, wanting to yell something more, but still too shocked to find the right words. Severus sped the rest of the way to the apartment, Alexis keeping a death grip on the armrests the whole way and wondering if she was better off with at the hospital with the agents then with a crazed Severus. He finally swerved into the apartment driveway, Alexis holding her ribs as she hitched her breath. They sat there in silence for a moment, Alexis breathing shallowly as she stared forward in shock, and Severus sighed, pocketing the car keys and exiting the car, walking towards the stairs.

Alexis watched him go, mumbling to herself in a shaky voice, breath steaming in the cold air. "I could run away now, err, well, limp away... could be a stowaway on a ship back to England... I'd be able to live a little while longer before he gets me killed..."

She thought to herself, but that thought was erased as Severus reappeared, opening her door, unbuckling her seatbelt, and lifting her once more. _Damn... caught..._

He brought her up the room, Alexis involuntarily snuggling against him due to the frigid air. He entered the now unsurprisingly empty apartment, walking to the couch and slowly setting her on it, then stepping back as Alexis watched him warily.

-----------------------------------

Severus set Alexis on the couch, now feeling mildly better that they were in a place he knew well. Well enough to defend if need be. He stepped back from her and walked over to the door, locking it securely. Shaking his head, he turned back to Alexis.

"Are you hungry?" He asked and Alexis looked at him in mild confusion.

"Yes, but first, I would like some clothes." She told him and that was when Severus came to the realization that he had been carrying Alexis around while she was in a barely-there hospital gown. He turned his eyes immediately to the floor.

"Sorry, wasn't paying attention. Would you like me to carry... um, help you to the bedroom so you could get your clothes?" He asked her, purposely not looking at her. He looked at the floor and noticed a couple of bloodstains.

"Yeah, sure." Alexis groaned, trying to get to her feet. Severus looked at her and grabbed her arms, hoisting her up and walking her to the bedroom. He sat her on the bed by her dresser and left the room, closing the door, but staying near in case she needed help or the agents came back. He thought he heard the sound of water, but ignored it. After a few moments and a series of pained grunts he heard a loud thud.

"You alright?" He asked with concern and Alexis snarled back at him.

"Just fucking peachy! I'm dressed; you can come back in now." She barked and he shook his head as he walked into to the room, seeing her trying to get up from the floor. Without even thinking to ask her, he picked her up and hoisted her in his arms, carrying her back into the living room. She looked perturbed, but he didn't care, he needed to get some kind of food in her system and his own. He had yet to take a chance to deal with his own bruised ribs. He went to the fridge and began pulling out food, trying his hardest to ignore Alexis. Dinner he decided, would be macaroni and cheese and hotdogs.

"Severus, what the hell happened?" Alexis asked, breaking the silence after a while and Severus shrugged, looking at the stove.

"Don't just shrug at me. There is a span of like, a _day_ that I was out. What happened to the agents? What did they hit me with?" Alexis asked and Severus shook his head, not wanting to tell her.

"Do you want two hotdogs?" He asked her and he knew she was getting irritated.

"That is your classic diversion tactic, food." She told him and he shook his head.

"No that is every man's diversion tactic." He spoke and Alexis laughed lightly, wincing slightly.

"Ah ha! You admitted it. Spill." She told him and he wanted to hit himself in the head.

"About?" He questioned, trying to get out of telling her how her concussion came about.

"About everything. Start when you got out of the shower and work your way until I woke up." She told him and he growled.

"Well, I was in the shower, heard you, looked out, got dressed and saved you. Then I took you to the hospital, they put needles in you, I bitched, I saw an agent, and then I drove us home. There. Done deal." He stated, giving her the abridged version of the events.

"Whoa, slow down and rewind. You got dressed before you helped me?" She demanded and he nodded, not looking at her.

"Why?" She growled and he snickered.

"Because, fighting in a towel has never worked out good for anyone. Even your Rush Hour 2 movie made that clear." He stated, the scene of the spa fight scene coming to mind.

"Ok, but how did you beat five guys down?" She asked him and he frowned, turning to look at her.

"With a frying pan." He told her and she looked at him warily, holding her head.

"Hold on a second, you had a frying pan. Harry, did you by chance happen to KNOCK ME OUT!" She yelled and he turned his back to her.

"Well, if you had bloody stayed down when you should have, it would have knocked him out, not you. I was already in the arc of the swing, I tired to pull back, but I had already hit you. But I did take out five guys with nothing but a frying pan." He thought aloud, feeling a bit prideful and Alexis shook her head.

"Ok, enough with the gloating. What happened next?" She asked and he shook his head as he mixed the cheese sauce in with the noodles.

"I put you in the car and drove around for twenty minutes until I found the hospital.-"  
"You mean before you asked for directions." She chided and he gritted his teeth.

"Yeah, whatever. Then took you in and the bloody fools didn't help until I yelled and then they tried to take you off to some back room so I followed. Then they shoved needles in your arm, I bitched and got kicked out of the room. Then after they 'fixed' you, they took you to another room and I had to go fill out paperwork. And they tried to say that I had beaten the hell out of you and I was almost arrested. I cleared that up though." He stated and Alexis interrupted him.

"But you did knock me out." Alexis interjected and he shook his head at her, cooking the hotdogs.

"Besides the point. Then you wake up in hysterics about the agents and the nurse is watching and then she drugs you without even asking, bloody moron. Then you wake up again and start asking questions, so I walked out and well, wait... you were awake by then, I'm done explaining." He told her and she snickered.

"So how long were you in the shower before you came out? Wait... speaking of shower, what's that noise?" Alexis spoke and Severus listened and realization hit him.

_I never turned off the shower..._ He thought as he turned the stove off, rushing back to the bathroom. He walked right into a royal mess. The shower had filled the tub and it was overflowing onto the floor. Shaking his head, he walked forward and turned off the now frigid water.

"What was it?" He heard Alexis yell and he shook his head.

"Nothing, just hell and a tub full of cold water." Severus snarled, walking back out to the kitchen. He served Alexis food at the couch and he himself ate at the table. Every movement or so would cause Alexis to wince and Severus had to think of a way to use magic on her that would not be obvious to their watchers. That would be a feat in it's self. After eating, Severus took the dishes and put them in the sink, deciding that they could be done tomorrow. He walked into the living room and picked up the frying pan, seeing the glisten of blood on it. He placed it to in the sink and then resignedly headed to the bedroom. He changed his clothes, wincing slightly as he raised his own arms above his head to take off his shirt. _Okay, so maybe I'm injured a bit, but I am a man, I can take it, what's a bit of pain compared to a concussion? Not only that, but I have to continue the mission, that is my job, the whole bloody reason I'm here..._ He rationalized to himself as he walked out to the living room, turning off the lights and kicking the heater again, hoping that it would turn on. He looked at Alexis and shook his head.

"Would you like me to carry you to bed?" He asked and Alexis looked at him aghast. Then he caught the connotation to his words as she replied.

"Nope I can walk." She told him, getting herself to her feet. Shrugging, he went and collapsed in the bed, waiting for her to ask for help.

Ten minutes later she was finally in the hallway and he heard a loud thud and a sharp yelp of pain.

"Need som-"

"No I don't need any help. As soon as I get up I will be fine." Alexis cut him off stubbornly and he sighed, getting out of bed and walking to the hallway. He found Alexis face down in the hallway, trying to get up as she bit her lip with the effort. Sighing, he picked her up, ignoring his screaming side as he carried her to the bedroom. He put her on the bed and laid her down, shaking his head as he walked over to his own side, collapsing into it. Alexis pouted and Severus rolled over on his other side, facing her and taking pressure off his injured side.

"Just don't roll over on me or anything." She told him sulkily and he shook his head, grunting.

"Didn't plan on it." He replied and was taken aback by hers.

"Better not have." She told him and he snorted.

"Just got to sleep and shut up for once." He growled and she was silent. She rolled a bit onto her not-so-injured side, her back touching his partially and he snorted.

"Women." He stated as Alexis's voice grunted.

"Men." She grumbled at almost the same time and he looked over at her and they both began laughing a bit, though it hurt his ribs, Alexis grimacing as well.

"Go to sleep Lindsey." He told her and with that they settled into mildly comfortable silence. Severus closed his eyes, ignoring the fact that Alexis, in her sleep, had just embraced him around the chest, and he fell asleep.

-------------------

**_Two days later..._**

Alexis awoke, feeling just as sore and pained as the day she had woken up in the hospital. Her ribs throbbed with every breath, and her ankle had swollen again from her repeated attempts to go about daily life as if nothing had happened. Her concussion had mercifully disappeared the night after returning to the apartment though, so the only place not hurting on her body was her head. And she could tell it was wearing on Severus to be carrying and helping her around constantly, and it would only be a matter of time before he reached his limit and snapped. Most likely at her.

She then noticed Severus was already awake, for she smelt bacon from the kitchen along with muffled clinks and clanks of pots and dishes.

_I'm starving... but alas, if I eat too much, I hurt... and if I eat too little I hurt... and if I don't eat at all, I still hurt... so whatever choice I make, it's going to be painful..._ Alexis thought darkly to herself, sighing. She strained to sit up, only to be rewarded with stabbing lances of pain through both her sides. She gasped, falling back on the bed and breathing shallowly. She looked up at the ceiling dismally as she grumbled.

"Why do I even bother..."

She shook her head, deciding to try and scoot off the bed, but managed only in twisting her sprained ankle again, making her whimper as she quickly lay back on the bed. She put a hand over her eyes, shaking her head. She removed her head as she stated aloud. "That's it. I quit. I'm just going to lay here until I don't hurt anymore. I can't take this anymore."

She crossed her arms resolutely, hearing Severus calling from the Kitchen. "Breakfast is done. Come eat. Or do you need help?"  
"No. If getting food requires moving, I'll just wait." Alexis snapped loudly with a scowl. There was relative silence for a moment, and then Severus appeared in the doorway, looking tired and fed up.

"Quit whining and get in here and eat." He grumbled, moving to her side and taking her arm. Alexis snatched it away, not wanting to be treated like a helpless child any longer.

"No... It hurts too damn much... I'll wait until I'm healed." She spoke stubbornly, and Severus merely stared at her. Alexis looked away, pulling the blanket up around her and looking away from his stare.

He finally sighed, grumbling as he left the room. "Fine. Then starve..."

Alexis huffed, snuggling into the pillow and staring up at the ceiling with a bored sigh.

Alexis stayed there in bed for pretty much the rest of the day, ignoring Severus's frustrated attempts at getting her to get up and eat and quit being lazy. Well if this was being lazy, she was content to stay that way until it didn't hurt to breathe anymore. Severus finally gave in around lunch and brought her a sandwich, which she took gratefully, eating slowly.

It was drawing nigh onto evening when Alexis realized there was one flaw in her plan. She needed to go to the bathroom. She looked at the bathroom door a few feet away, and for all it mattered to her, it could've been a mile away.

She sighed, shaking her head. She gingerly scooted to the edge of the bed, ignoring her grumbling stomach and drew in a breath as she slowly sat up, carefully setting her foot on the floor. The pain in her ribs intensified, and she sat still for a moment as it subsided a tad, then held onto the wall and pulled herself to her feet shakily.

She smirked and told herself. "Not doing too bad..."

She took a step, and gasped out as the movement felt like she was stretching her entire rib cage apart. She grimaced, holding her sides as she fought to breath. She realized that lying still like that all day had made her stiff, and that walking was a very bad idea. But she had to go to the bathroom. She hobbled to it after a few rest stops and relieved herself.

Now getting back was another story. She stood in the bathroom doorway, staring hard at the bed and willing herself to walk towards it. She took one step and stumbled, falling to her knees hard. She yelped, doubled over as she grimaced.

"Ah, so you're finally up I see." She heard Severus's voice ask, and she glared up at him. He rolled his eyes, walking forward and lifting her up slowly, and Alexis could see the strain on his face as well.

"Dinner is done. And you're _going_ to eat it _in_ the Kitchen." He told her, and before she could protest, he was pulling her into the Kitchen.

She hobbled into her seat, grumbling under her breath as she glared up at him and he ignored her, setting down a plate with two beef pot pies on it. Alexis smiled, picking up a fork and digging into them as she mumbled. "I love pot pies..."  
"I know." Severus spoke quietly, sitting across from her with his own plate. Alexis looked up at him oddly, but he didn't look at her as he began eating thoughtfully. _Okay, maybe he just didn't have anything easier to cook..._ She thought, eating a few bites, and then asking to break the silence.

"What kind are they?"  
"Beef." Severus answered, and Alexis looked at him oddly. Beef was also her favorite kind. She asked carefully as she ate slowly. "Really... any reason why you made them?"  
Severus shrugged, still not looking at her as he replied. "No..."

Alexis nodded, going back to her food, stopping now and then to rest her sides. They were silent for a moment, and then Severus sighed, speaking quieting. "There is one thing..."

Alexis paused with the fork halfway to her mouth, feeling uneased by his tone of voice. "What thing?"  
Severus was quiet with thought for a moment, then spoke, taking another bite of his meal. "I found a way to heal your ribs and not blatantly look like we're using magic."

Alexis's ears practically perked up with interest. _Oh man, I'd almost do anything to make this stop..._

"But..." Severus continued, and Alexis's good mood quailed slightly.

"That always means something bad..." Alexis muttered forebodingly. Severus sighed, purposely avoiding his gaze as he spoke.

"But it will require me having to touch you."

Alexis froze, narrowing her eyes at him. "Touch me as in _how_?" She spoke warningly, mentally telling him that if was the wrong answer, broken ribs or not, she'd beat him.

"Well... I, I'm going to have to give you a massage." Severus finished, taking a few bites from his pot pie.

Alexis in the midst of eating as well, swallowed convulsively, coughing as she practically choked on beef bits. She gasped slightly as the movement seared her ribs, and she took a few seconds to breath before speaking in a deadly calm.

"You want to do _what_."

Severus stood, putting his plate in the sink calmly, then turned to her and replied with no expression at all. "In order to help you, I'm going to have to give you a massage. Now, I'm going to take a shower. You can think on it and give me an answer after I'm out." With that, he turned and calmly walked out of the Kitchen, Alexis staring after him in opened mouthed shock.

_He wants me to let him do WHAT!_ She thought to herself, staring at her plate with wide eyes. She shook her head, muttering aloud with unbelief. "A massage... from Severus... and he _offered_ it... I think I'm going to be sick..."

She pushed away her plate, unable to finish it as she stared at the table, still shocked. _Let him touch me... around my, midsection... _She shuddered, hugging herself, already feeling kind of violated just by the thought.

But then, she actually thought about it some more. "It's not really a _massage_ massage... it's just to heal my ribs... then he'll be done. That's it... that better be it... And I'm not drunk, so if he, for some god forsaken reason, gets it in his head to try something else, I can outright kick his ass... yeah..."

She sat there for a few minutes, trying to steel herself, then groaned, shaking her head. _I can't believe this... I know exactly what this is... this is a nightmare in hell... this month can't be happening just because of my bad karma... no, this just keeps getting worse and worse... no karma was ever that bad..._

"But if I live with these ribs like this any longer, I'm gonna go nuts... you know, there's a knife right there... I know a quick and surefire way out of this..." Alexis thought grimly, leaning forward toward the counter, reaching out to grab the large knife. But it was just out of her reach. She frowned as she whined. "Getting that to kill myself would require moving... Damnit..."

Just then, Severus walked in. He looked at her with confusion, then reached and took the knife, handing it to her. Alexis smirked grimly, speaking quietly. "Why, thank you Severus..."

She studied the knife intently, wondering how long it would take for her to die if she missed her heart, and then Severus quickly took the knife out of her hand.

"On second thought..." She heard him mumble as he put the knife away in a cupboard, and she frowned at him, hugging herself as she watched Severus, searching to see if she could pick out anything odd about him that could explain this offer. He merely avoided her gaze, washing up and putting away the few dishes, then making a pot of tea.

Alexis finally couldn't take it anymore. "OKAY! Fine..."

Severus stopped, looking at her and asking. "What was that?"  
"I said okay! Don't make me say it again..." She whined, looking at the ground in defeat. Well, if it made her better... then she could reach the knife.

Severus was silent, and she looked up at him. He nodded slowly, sipping a glass of warm tea. Alexis shuddered once again, face feeling hot as she sniffed, speaking softly. "I think I'm going to cry..."

"Me too." She heard Severus grumble, and she watched as he turned his back to her. He turned back around, handing her a cup of tea, which she took and drank it quickly, wishing it had some drug or another in it that would make her not remember any of this.

Severus spoke up quietly after a moment. "You're going to have to lie down in the bed on your stomach."

Alexis cringed, looking at him with disbelief. Severus continued, only making it worse. "And I can't give you a massage with your shirt on-"  
"NO." Alexis demanded sharply with a dead serious glint in her green eyes. That was just going too far.

Severus quickly shook his head, explaining. "No. I know. But you do have a lot, not that I pay attention, a lot of... sports bras. You could wear one of those." He spoke in a quiet, almost embarrassed sounding voice.

Alexis plopped her head on the table, groaning. "Why can't I just kill myself? None of this would matter then..."

Severus rolled his eyes, moving to help her from the seat. "Because fate likes to torture us. Get up and let's get this over with..." He grumbled, and Alexis sighed, letting herself be pulled up by him and directed to the bedroom. She closed the door on him so she could change, and did so into a sports bra and jogger pants.

"Okay, come in..." She grumbled, Severus walking in as Alexis lowered herself gingerly onto the bed, wincing slightly. Severus brought over a bottle of salve as Alexis slowly and deliberately turned on her stomach, settling herself with some level of unease. She rested her head on her bare arms as she felt Severus sit down on the bed beside her, and she closed her eyes, shaking her head.

She suddenly felt something cold on her back, and drew in a sharp breath, grumbling. "Jeesh! That stuff's cold..."

"I know. Don't move too much." Severus told her as he began to hesitantly rub the salve over her sides and partly across her back. He seemed very reluctant to touch her at first, but eventually loosened up and rubbed more rhythmically. Alexis fought every urge to turn around and draw away from him, focusing on breathing as he continued to very gently rub the salve into her skin. He began chanting some incantation lowly under his breath, and Alexis tried to listen for a few moments, and then gave up as she sighed with relief, feeling the pain gradually lessen in her sides, being replaced by a throbbing soreness.

_God, I can finally breathe properly... _she thought contentedly to herself.

Severus continued to rub in the salve lightly, and Alexis closed her eyes again, shifting slightly to rid of the soreness in her back. Her eyes shot open though as Severus began kneading into her sides and across her back, working into the soreness a bit more strongly as if in answer to her thoughts. He had stopped the incantation, and Alexis felt she needed to break the silence. She sniffed slightly, asking then curiously. "Hey, I smell peppermint again..."

"Well you would. This is the same salve I used to get rid of your concussion."

Alexis looked over her shoulder slightly at him with confusion. "What?"  
Severus smirked, moving his gaze from the wall to her face. "Yes. I used it the first night back here. It looked to the entire world like I was merely lovingly smoothing your hair back."

Alexis frowned at him a moment, then smirked. "Why, you sneaky bastard! Smart... but sneaky!"

Severus shrugged, looking back ahead at the wall as Alexis turned back to lay her head on her arms, relaxing limply as Severus's warm hands rubbed the soreness out of her tense muscles.

She found herself involuntarily smiling and sighed, semi-consciously thinking to herself. _Wow... this feels pretty good... NO IT DOESN'T! _She caught herself, eyes wide as she stiffened at that scary thought.

Severs paused a moment as he asked with concern. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"  
Slightly perturbed, Alexis shook her head, mumbling. "N, no... I'm fine..."  
She lay back down, firmly telling herself it did _not_ feel good as Severus continued the massage. Presently though, Alexis's mind became fuzzy, and she smiled slightly, eyes drooping a bit tiredly. She then roughly shook her head, telling herself mentally. _No. I'm not going to fall asleep... it doesn't feel that good... I guess..._

She thought as her eyes dropped again. _Well, I can just rest my eyes for a little bit... _She thought contentedly, thinking vaguely that she felt Severus now rubbing around her upper back and behind her shoulders. But she soon found that she didn't really care. The pain was mercifully disappearing, that was all that mattered. She sighed once again, laying her head flat against her arms happily, not several minutes later falling into a deep and peaceful sleep with Severus still massaging her back.

--------------------------

All day Alexis had remained in her bed, pouting in her predicament of broken ribs. Severus would have lifted her and made sure that she ate, but the other night he pulled not only the muscles around his bruised ribs but some in his back and he didn't think he could lift her small form without dropping her, causing more pain for them both. He set into making dinner, making beef potpies because he knew Alexis loved them and she would need to be in a good mood for what he was going to suggest. Not that he wanted to, or even liked the idea, but he couldn't continue on this mission with Alexis in her state. He had gone on one solo mission and that was enough. He managed to bruise his ribs more as he fell from the loft to the ground, landing on his injured side. He swore he cursed so colorfully that the Manor occupants should have been able to hear him. He pulled the pot pies out of the stove and went to the bedroom to get Alexis. What he saw was enough to make him finalize the suggestion.

"That's it..." He mumbled as he walked forward, seeing Alexis half crawling half lying in the bathroom on the cold floor, looking to be in incredible pain.

"Ah, so you're finally up I see." He asked her and she glared up at him and he rolled his eyes at her. He walked forward and leaned down, lifting her with a minor grimace as his side cursed at him in the language of his body, which was stronger than any spoken word. After a moment, he spoke, having pushed aside his pain.

"Dinner is done. And you're _going_ to eat it _in_ the Kitchen." He told her and before she could tell him no, he painfully pulled her into the kitchen. He led her to her seat and she returned his kindness with a glare, but he ignored it, figuring it was painful for her to move. He set her plate down for her and sat across from her at the table. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as he 'focused' on his dinner, seeing her smile as she spoke, digging in.

"I love pot pies..."  
"I know." Severus replied darkly, looking at his food as he thought of how he was going to word what he was going to suggest. She broke his thoughts though with a simple question.

"What kind are they?" She asked him and he replied quickly.  
"Beef." Severus answered, and Alexis looked at him oddly. She ate carefully as she questioned him once again, giving him his opportunity to bring an uncomfortable subject up.

"Really... any reason why you made them?" She spoke quietly, but he shrugged deciding that he was going to have to say something, but he didn't have the words yet.

"No..." He told her, refusing to look at her. She nodded at him and then the room was silent for a few moments.

_God damn it Sev, just say it and then go hide..._ Severus thought as he sighed. Severus speaking quietly, stated. "There is one thing..."

He continued to not look at her, thought he could see her out of the corner of his eye, just so he could gauge her reaction to his statement.

"What thing?" She asked and Severus was thoughtful for a moment, taking another bite of his meal.

"I found a way to heal your ribs and not blatantly look like we're using magic." He stated, getting the easy part over and done with.

"But..." Severus continued lowly and could see curiosity on her face.

"That always means something bad..." Alexis muttered at him forebodingly. Severus sighed at her, still purposely avoiding his gaze as he spoke to her, giving her the downside.

"But it will require me having to touch you." He stated with complete calm. He watched as her eyes narrowed at him dangerously as she questioned him.

"Touch me as in _how_?" She verbally warned him with her tone of voice. As if he had something underhanded in mind, laughable.

"Well... I, I'm going to have to give you a massage." Severus finished slowly, taking a few bites from his pot pie while not looking at her. He watched as she nearly choked on her food and then gasped as she took a few moments to catch her breath. By that time Severus was near done with his meal.

"You want to do _what_." She asked him in her deadly calm 'I'm-going-to-kill-you-now' voice.

Severus stood, putting his plate in the sink calmly before turning to her. He made himself reply with no expression at all on his face.

"In order to help you, I'm going to have to give you a massage. Now, I'm going to take a shower. You can think on it and give me an answer after I'm out." He told her, using his escapist ways to maneuver out of a stressful situation. He calmly walked out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. Grimacing as he pulled his shirt off, he witnessed the large deep purple bruise on his side that spanned from his underarm to his hip. Sighing, he got into the shower, barely letting the water touch his side for fear he would yell out in the pain. It hurt that bad right now. He washed, paying no mind to the fact that Alexis was probably throwing a temper tantrum in the kitchen, well as best as she could at the present moment. He got out and dried off, gingerly drying his side. He dressed carefully, hissing as he lifted his arms to get his shirt on.

He walked out to the kitchen, witnessing Alexis trying to reach for the knife he had used to open the boxes. He looked at her with confusion, then reached and took the knife, handing it to her curiously. Alexis smirked grimly at him, speaking quietly. "Why, thank you Severus..."

He watched as she intently studied the knife, witnessing the look of someone about to off themselves and he took the knife quickly out of her hand.

"On second thought..." He mumbled as he put the knife away in a cupboard far from her. He then went to the sink, washing the dishes and avoiding looking at her, even though she was staring holes into the back of his head. After a moment, Severus heard the answer he wasn't sure he actually heard.

"OKAY! Fine..." She spoke as he finished making a pot of tea, adding her serum to it. He stopped and looked at her, just to make sure she was saying it.

"What was that?" He asked her.  
"I said okay! Don't make me say it again..." She whined at him, looking defeated at the ground. Severus didn't say a word as he poured two cups of tea. She looked up at him and he nodded, sipping his own tea. He watched her as she shuddered and then heard her speak lowly.

"I think I'm going to cry..."

"Me too." Severus mumbled as he turned his back to her. He grabbed her cup of tea and handed it to her, watching as she drank it down quickly. After a moment he decided to arrange this prior to going into the bedroom, knowing that she would have the opportunity to back out.

Severus spoke up quietly after a moment. "You're going to have to lie down in the bed on your stomach." He told her and she cringed, looking at him in disbelief. But that wasn't all of it and he knew it as he continued.

"And I can't give you a massage with your shirt on-"  
"NO." She cut him off with a killer glint in her eyes. He quickly shook his head at her, implying for her to let him finish.

"No. I know. But you do have a lot, not that I pay attention, a lot of... sports bras. You could wear one of those." He told quietly, feeling almost embarrassed for having this conversation. Alexis slammed her head on the table; groaning and making Severus think she wanted another concussion. "Why can't I just kill myself? None of this would matter then..." She whined and he had come to an answer to that a while ago. He rolled his eyes as he moved to her side, replying.

"Because fate likes to torture us. Get up and let's get this over with..." He grumbled at her, lifting her up, much to his own pain and directing her to the bedroom. She closed the door on him and he waited until she called for him.

_I can't believe this is happening... This has got to be hell..._ Severus thought as he heard her.

"Okay, come in..." She grumbled through the door and Severus walked in seeing her lowering herself painfully on to the bed. He walked over to his dresser and pulled out the salve. He waited until she had rolled over to her stomach to sit in on the bed and he opened the salve, putting some on his fingers. He looked and could see the bruises covering her skin. She lowered her head to her arms, shaking her head and he understood her sentiment. This wasn't his picnic in the park either.

He softly put some of the salve on her back and she jumped, inhaling sharply.

"Jeesh! That stuff's cold..." She grumbled and he spoke, preparing himself for the incantation.

"I know. Don't move too much." Severus told her as he began to hesitantly rub the salve over her sides and partly across her back. He was very reluctant to touch her, first of all to avoid hurting her and secondly to avoid anything else. Eventually he loosened up, rubbing her back with his hands, kneading the salve into the torn and injured muscles rhythmically. He gentle rubbed the salve into her skin as he began the incantation under his breath, it flowing like a song from him as he focused his magic on her injuries, using it to heal the broken bones. He looked at a spot on the wall, not at the woman he was touching, putting all his thought into the magic and most certainly ignoring his own aching side.

Severus continued to rub in the salve, working it in more furiously. He felt her tense as he began to knead the muscles with his hands, working her skin with his fingers.

He stopped the spell, knowing that the bones were healed and that she was just sore. Now he was focused on rubbing the soreness and stiffness out of her formerly injured back and sides. He heard her sniff the air slightly, asking then curiously. "Hey, I smell peppermint again..."

"Well you would. This is the same salve I used to get rid of your concussion." He told her with a smug smirk, knowing now that she had no idea why her head never hurt anymore. She looked at him with confusion.

"What?" She asked and he smirked, looking down at her from the wall.

"Yes. I used it the first night back here. It looked to the entire world like I was merely lovingly smoothing your hair back." He mused, knowing that's what it must have looked like even though he was using old and powerful magics. She frowned at him and then that was replaced with a smirk as she replied.

"Why, you sneaky bastard! Smart... but sneaky!" She stated and he shrugged, looking back at his dot on the wall as she laid her head back down, going near limp under his hands. A second later she stiffened unexpectedly and he paused in his massaging.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" He asked with concern and she replied lightheartedly.

"N, no... I'm fine..." She mumbled as she shook her head. She relaxed and Severus continued to massage her back, and he thought he felt her falling asleep and he was mildly amused as he continued to look at the wall.

_You know... This is a very ugly color for a wall... Why would someone paint a wall off-white so close that it is almost yellow... ugh... Oh, is she sleeping?..._ Severus thought as he looked down at her, then noticing now that he was rubbing her shoulders, which had not been injured and he had just been rubbing them absentmindedly. He drew his hands back, looking to see that she was indeed fast asleep. He shook his head and turned toward her injured ankle, knowing that rubbing it down while she was like this was a good idea. He rolled up her pant leg to mid-calve and then took out the salve, rubbing her ankle tenderly, knowing it was swollen and sore. After about twenty minutes, he got up and turned the light off, shaking his head as he gingerly laid down in the bed beside Alexis, turning his back to her after he covered her with the wolf blanket. He closed his eyes and fell into a pained sleep.

----------------------

Severus awoke at a ripping pain in his side. It was so hard and so intense that he had to gasp for breath. Looking over to Alexis, he realized that she had just kicked him in the side and now it was screaming in revenge.

"I have got to take care of this." He growled as he checked to make sure she was sleeping. She was out and he got up, walking over and picking up the salve. He sat on his side of the bed, wincing as he pulled his shirt off, gasping in the pain of lifting his arm. To further his pain, he tucked his hand behind his head, holding his elbow in the air as he began to slowly and painfully rub the salve into his pained side. He didn't even notice that he was being watched.

-------------------

Alexis heard a pained gasp in her mind and groggily woke from comfortable sleep. She heard Severus's voice grumbling, though he sounded tired and in pain. _What's wrong with him now? _She thought wearily, feigning sleep as he got up. She felt him sit back down on the bed, and felt him moving about some. She silently rolled over, mentally cheering that she was able to, and let her eyes focus to the darkness. She then watched Severus, who had taken off his shirt; proceed to rub some of the salve he had used earlier into his own side, though with great difficulty.

She frowned as she watched him for a moment, noting the deep purple bruising that painted his side. _What an idiot... typical man really. Pretending he's not hurt so he feels tougher and able to handle everything... I swear, man's ego is what's going to kill them... then women will rule the world, as it should have been. _Alexis thought to herself as she glared at Severus, though he was totally oblivious to her watching. He struggled to reach behind his back, hitching his breath slightly, though noticeably trying not to be loud. Alexis oddly, almost scarily, finding herself feeling bad. _He's been helping me a lot lately... more than he really needed to... probably because he thinks Ron's going to kill him and he wants to ease his conscience, but still. He didn't have to be that thoughtful... dude, am I really thinking this? _Alexis thought, shaking her head at herself.

It was uneasing her to see him struggling so she sighed, finally making up her mind. She sat up slowly and quietly, reaching to the salve that lay on the bedside table. She got some on her fingers, and then carefully scooted closer to him. She hesitated for a moment, but only for a moment before reaching forward and rubbing the salve along Severus's bruised side gently, tensing for the reaction. She wasn't disappointed.

Severus nearly jumped out of his skin, actually managing to tumble off the bed as he yelped. "What the-" But it was cut off with a pained groan as he winced, leaning against the side of the bed. Alexis sighed, shaking her head as he looked up at her with confusion.

"You idiot. Quit freaking out. Who the hell do you think would be here? Sit down on the bed before you end up killing yourself." Alexis scolded him, but not with her usual harshness. Severus stared at her warily for a moment, and then pulled himself up, sitting on the bed gingerly as he watched her cautiously.

Alexis didn't say anything, knowing any words would be awkward, and reached for some more salve. She rubbed some more into his side, and he flinched slightly, asking lowly. "What are you-"

"It's kind of obvious. Quit moving around." Alexis cut him off quickly, not looking at him as she scooted closer, rubbing the salve along the bruises gently. Severus turned around, elbows resting on his knees as he let Alexis continue, though was tense for a few moments. He stiffened once, growling, though not sounding as mean as usual. "Ow... be careful..."

"Oh quit your complaining will you? I didn't even whine that much..." Alexis snapped, though lessened up a bit on her massaging. Severus relaxed slightly, Alexis continuing to rub in the ointment and watching the bruises fade and eventually disappear, replaced by smooth, unscarred skin. Alexis massaged his side for a few more minutes, neither of them saying a word, Alexis focusing solely on her hands, and nothing else as Severus leaned his arms on his knees, silent.

_There... now he won't wake me up any more with his whimpering... _Alexis thought sternly with satisfaction as the last bruise disappeared. She capped the salve and backed away from Severus. Alexis handed him the bottle, purposely not meeting his gaze as he got up. Alexis lay back down, seeing him stretch and smile slightly with relief before putting the salve away. She turned around, pulling the blankets up under her chin, and felt him lay down on his side of the bed after a moment.

It was silent for a minute, and then she heard Severus speak lowly, almost wondering if she had heard him.

"We're even now. Thank you."

Alexis smirked to herself knowingly, and then replied. "No we're not. And you're welcome." With that, she closed her eyes and slept.

---------------------------------------

Severus was trying to work the salve into his side and trying to be quiet as to not wake up Alexis. Last thing he needed was for her to wake up and ask him whet he was doing. He was busy getting some salve when he felt fingers that were not his own touching his side gently. Severus nearly jumped out of his skin, managing to tumble off the bed as he yelped in surprise.

"What the-" He began but that was cut off as another pain ripped through his side, making him wince and double over, leaning against the side of the bed. He heard Alexis sigh and he looked up at her with confusion, wondering how long she had been watching him. She was shaking her head at him as she spoke.

"You idiot. Quit freaking out. Who the hell do you think would be here? Sit down on the bed before you end up killing yourself." Alexis scolded him, but he thought it was not as harsh as it had been. He looked at her warily, wondering why he needed to get up and secondly if he could get up. He managed to pull himself up on the bed, sitting on it carefully as he watched her intently.

_She is supposed to be asleep... What in the bloody hell does she think she is doing?..._ He thought as he watched her reach for some salve. He watched as she rubbed it into his side, making him flinch from her touch and the pain.

"What are you-" He began to ask lowly and she cut him off.

"It's kind of obvious. Quit moving around." Alexis grunted, looking away from him as she scooted closer, rubbing his side gently. He turned from her, resting his elbows on his knees as he allowed her to rub his side.

_She is touching me... Willfully... Without complaint... God, I must look terrible then..._ He thought as he stiffened, her hard rubbing making his side cry out.

He growled at her, though from pain, not anger. "Ow... be careful..."

"Oh quit your complaining will you? I didn't even whine that much..." Alexis snapped at him, though he felt her small hands lessen in their kneading of his muscles. He relaxed as she rubbed his side. He felt the pain flowing away, her hands seemingly washing it away.

_God, this feels good... NO! It doesn't... Well maybe... At least I'm not dying of pain..._ He thought as he argued with himself over if her massaging his side felt good or not. They were both silent and Severus now knew why Alexis had fallen asleep, the scent of peppermint and the massage was lulling him to sleep. To him though he was determined that it was mostly the peppermint. Severus leaned his arms on his knees, silent and feeling so much better. He could actually inhale completely. Alexis stopped her careful and concise massaging of his side and he heard her close the bottle. She backed away from him and handed him the bottle, taking her turn in avoiding his gaze. She lay back down and Severus stretched a bit, smirking at the fact that it didn't kill him to do so. He was relieved that the pain was now gone. He would never admit it to Alexis, but he reason he was up so early the past few days was that in his pain he had no been able to sleep. He put the salve away and the he turned to the bed, walking back to it and lying down softly.

The room was eerily silent, like one of those moments in a movie when the lead character is about to do something extremely out of character and to Severus that description was surprisingly accurate. Alexis had healed him, had rubbed his side when she could have let him suffer in his pain and discomfort and gone back to sleep. Even though it was Alexis, and he disliked her, even though at this moment he couldn't even think that honestly, she still deserved gratitude.

Severus spoke lowly, almost wondering if she had heard him speak or if she was asleep.

"We're even now. Thank you."

She was silent for a bit and then she replied.

"No we're not. And you're welcome."

That statement set a wildfire in Severus's mind.

_We're not even?... you don't mean... Did she just acknowledge that I saved her?... Did she just say that she still owed me... That's putting herself in debt to me?... She would never do that... Would she?... Wow, I think I need to just go to sleep and forget this whole event... Ahh... My side feels so much better..._ Severus thought as he closed his eyes, hearing Alexis already snoring. Deciding he was still cold, he turned to face Alexis and wrapped her in his arms, ignoring the fact that she had just about as much shirt on as he did. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, blissfully painless and warm.

* * *

_**Now on to Part 2**_


	9. A Ring Upon A Finger 8 Part 2

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 8 Part II  
****"A Ring Upon a Finger''  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker  
----------------------------------

**Author's Notes:** There is just two more chapters after this... Could the Mission from Hell really be over so soon?...

* * *

Alexis woke feeling very warm, so warm it made her wonder if she was still in the heated hospital. She opened her eyes, and her vision was filled with blankets and a bare chest. She was wide awake then. She tensed, feeling what she knew to be Severus's head laying on her own.

_You know what, I'm done asking. Cause when I do, that leads to even more questions that confuse me further, and I don't need that kind of stress anymore... _Alexis thought to herself as she slowly and carefully pried herself away from Severus and sat up. She immediately shivered, looking down and realizing she was still in her sports bra.

"Nope, not going to ask..." Alexis grumbled, shaking her head as she felt Severus shifting, pulling the blankets closer around himself, still fast asleep. She rolled her eyes, stretching and smiling at the absence of pain. She sighed, moving the blankets off of her and scooting to the end of the bed to retrieve a shirt. She stopped though, looking behind her as Severus scooted after her.

Alexis smirked curiously, moving away a few more inches, watching Severus follow, still dead asleep. "Dude, he's like a magnet..." Alexis mused, shivering again. _Don't blame him though; it was much warmer lying like that... I never thought I would think like this in my life... _Alexis told herself mentally, shaking her head.

She jumped though as warm arms wrapped around her waist, and looked down in surprise, seeing Severus hugging her around her stomach. She felt herself pulled downwards towards him slightly, wondering what the hell he was doing and about to slap him away. But she noticed he was still dead asleep.

Alexis sighed, shaking her head as she crossed her arms, looking at Severus and grumbling. "Sometimes you freak me out..."

_Well, I guess I can wait a little while longer for food... besides, he's warm..._ Alexis finally gave in, settling comfortably and pulling the blankets over her legs. She sat there for a little while longer, dozing slightly as the sun rose and lighted the room brighter. Alexis finally yawned after about an hour or so, muttering to herself. "Okay, I need to go to the bathroom..."

She tried to pull away from Severus, but he merely sighed in his sleep, hugging her tighter. Alexis looked at him with confusion, trying to pry his arms off her, but without any luck. She huffed with frustration, crossing her arms as she sat there, a scowl on her face. "This is ridiculous."

She shook his shoulder, and he slept on. She frowned, shoving him harder, but he merely shifted, hugging her tighter.

"Dude, come on!" Alexis grumbled, knocking him on the head. Severus wearily opened one eye, gazing up at her with confusion. She spoke sarcastically. "Well, good morning sleeping beauty. Would you mind letting me go so I can go to the bathroom?"

Severus stared at her with incomprehension for a minute, and then mumbled. "Oh... uh... sorry..." He then removed his arms, Alexis sighing. "Finally..."

She got up, shivering as she went and used the bathroom. Coming back out, she looked to Severus and saw him once again dead asleep and snoring softly.

"Okay, it's gotta be like ten in the morning... I want food..." She mumbled, going over and poking Severus in the shoulder. "Hey, I'm hungry. What's there to cook?"  
She didn't get an answer, so she spoke a little louder. "Hey you. Food. Morning. Heeelllooo..."

Severus continued to snore. Alexis rolled her eyes, grumbling as she donned a sweatshirt. "Guess I'm on my own for now..."

Entering the Kitchen, she gazed around, wondering what she could make that wouldn't result in the Kitchen blowing up. She rummaged through a few cupboards, and then found the cereal boxes. She pulled one out from the back, squealing in delight as she recognized the Cocoa Puffs labels.

"I haven't had these in years... and Artimis never buys them when I ask her too..." Alexis mused, pouring herself a large bowl of the chocolately cereal. She smiled as the milk turned chocolately as well, going on a whim and pouring some chocolate syrup in the bowl as well. Putting the container back, she found a can of whip cream.

"Might as well..." She told herself as she put some on her cereal. She sat down with her spoon, digging into the almost sugar-coma-inducing meal. She finished it happily, downing a glass of chocolate milk she had poured. Then, she proceeded to make two more bowls of the same to try and satisfy her hunger.

She leaned back with a sigh after finishing the third bowl, now wide awake and with an urge to do something _active_. She looked around the Kitchen curiously, seeing a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Shrugging, she grabbed it, dumping some out and proceeding to make puzzles with the cinnamon swirl cereal. She covered the table with a small mural of a pack of wolves, then part of the counter with a flying dragon.

Stepping back away from her masterpieces, now having no more cereal left to work with, she sighed, already feeling bored. She bounced into the living room, jumping onto the couch and bouncing a few times as she tried to think of something interesting to do. She grabbed the remote during one bounce, flicking on the television and bouncing as the afternoon cartoons came on. She bounced a little longer, wondering if there was a record for bouncing on couches as she watched the shows, when she heard a muffled crack and felt the couch sag under her. She stumbled in surprise, falling off of the couch and rolling twice.

Sitting up with slightly dizzy confusion, she saw the couch noticeably indented in the middle, realizing she must've broken the springs. She winced, knowing she was going to get reamed out for that.

"Oops... well, the damn company's fault for not making them stronger..." Alexis scolded, covering the seat of the couch with the pillows to hide it. Nodding in approval, she jumped on it once more, ignoring its new squeak, and hung upside down to watch some shows, flipping through the channels with growing boredom as the incident erased itself from her mind.

She eventually found a show that was airing a rock concert for one of her fave bands, System of A Down. She whooped gleefully, turning it up a bit louder. She began singing with it, not caring if Severus heard her. He needed to get up soon anyway; it was almost past lunch time.

Getting into it, she flipped right side up, standing on the couch as she sang with the band and head banged. On hyper impulse, she grabbed one of the desk lamps, spinning around in a circle and singing dramatically into the lamp.

She continued to act out the concert to the best of her abilities, and by the time it was over, she had migrated to standing on the coffee table, had ripped the lamp's cord out of the socket, and had busted the light bulb in it, totally oblivious to her destructiveness.

She stared at the slightly mangled lamp, and then shrugged, jumping off the table and setting the lamp on it, quickly straightening the lampshade and picking up the larger pieces of glass before heading towards the Kitchen once again, feeling ravenous from her hyperactive exploits.

She had left her murals of cereal where they had been created, so she grabbed a few pieces from the 'dragon's leg and popped them in her mouth as she rummaged through the fridge.

"I want... spaghettos... yeah..." Alexis thought to herself, finding a can. She set it on the table and stared at it, wondering where to start. She decided to open it first, and did so, then turned to the stove thing.

There were several pans on it, so she chose the nearest one, which happened to be a skillet, and poured the food in. She stopped, wondering what to do next. "I guess one of these buttons turn on the stove... I'll just turn them until one of them works..." Alexis thought to herself as she turned a few knobs, and then set the pan of food on one as she turned back to the fridge, looking for anything else she could cook.

"Hey look! Twizzlers!" Alexis exclaimed, taking some out of the bag while still standing in front of the fridge. She made a chain out of the Twizzlers sticks for the next five minutes, and then looped it over her head and sticking the loose end of the candy chain in her mouth. She stopped in confusion then, smelling something odd in the air. She turned around, her eyes widening at the sight of a smoke wafting from the pot of superheated spaghettos.

Before her eyes, a small lick of flame appeared in the pan of food and she yelped, leaping forward to pull the pan off of the stove. Her hand wrapped around the metal handle, and she recoiled back quickly as the hot metal burned her skin painfully. She held it to her, cursing under her breath as she glared at the stove.

She quickly filled a bowl with cold water, dumping part of it onto the bowl of spaghettos, managing to pull the pan off the stove with a towel. She then submerged her burned hand into the bowl of water, sighing as smoke filled the Kitchen in a light haze.

"You know, I think it's about time Sev got up..." Alexis mumbled, shaking her head at the predicament. She put the bowl down, walking into the bedroom, seeing Severus still passed out on the bed.

She yelled at him. "Hey! Get up!" He didn't stir.

She growled, jumping onto the bed hollered. "Are you dead or are you just ignoring me?"

After receiving no answer, she began jumping on the bed, jostling him around slightly, but he did no more than pull the covers tighter around him. She stopped, folding her arms across her chest, wincing slightly at her burned hand, then yelled once more. "Come on you lazy git! You've been sleeping all bloody day now!"

Severus sighed in his sleep, though still didn't acknowledge her. She was growing pretty fed up with him so she leaned down, poking him in the side and head. He didn't move, so she smirked and jabbed him in the back, his ticklish spot, but even with that, he didn't move an inch.

She stood up, cocking her head in confusion. She stepped forward and sat on his side, looking down at him with confusion. "Come on, I know you're not drugged, unless you did it to yourself... I'm bored and hungry Sev! Quit being a dork and wake up!"

Her reply was a very slight snore, and she huffed with frustration, jumping off him and off the bed, stomping back into the Kitchen. She grumbled to herself as she found a large baggie, then turning to the freezer. "Fine, you don't want to wake up on your own, I'll _help_ you..."

She filled the bag full of ice, and then chuckled as she headed back to the room. She stood by the bed, hefting the ice pack and asked once more. "Are you sure you don't want to get up?"  
No answer.

"Thought so." She confirmed. Then she slowly pulled the coves off of him, exposing his bare back. She grinned evilly, quickly swiping the cold bag over his back once quickly and jumping back. He shuddered slightly, hugging his pillow tighter, but didn't wake.

Alexis got a resolute look on her face as she stepped forward. "Two can play at that game..." She muttered as this time she pressed the ice cold bag into the middle of his bare back and held it there.

-------------------------------------

Severus had been enjoying a peacefully lazy laid back morning, dozing in and out of consciousness, for once getting some sleep he desperately needed. Though before last night, he didn't know he needed it that bad. Alexis had awoken him a few times with her antics, but not enough for him to leave the warm comfort of the bed. He had successfully wrapped himself completely in the fleece wolf blanket and was hugging Alexis's pillow because she wasn't using it. He thought he heard Alexis yelling at him, but he pushed it aside for slumber's sake. The noise silenced and he once again passed out.

The next thing he knew he was screaming and falling out of the bed, still half wrapped in the blankets. Something wet and freezing had touched the center of his back. He struggled to unravel himself from his warm cocoon of fleece to see Alexis standing on the other side of the bed, holding an ice pack in her hands with an insane smirk on her face.

"Ah, you're awake. You dork. You've been sleeping all day." Alexis chided him and he sighed, crawling back up on the bed and plopping down on his back, rubbing his temples.

"Alexi- Lindsey, did you think that their might have been a reason for that?" He hissed at her and he took a deep breath though his nose. He would have been ecstatic that he could breathe completely if he hadn't inhaled a lungful of smoke. He sat up immediately.

"What did you try to cook!" He yelled as he dashed out of the bed, heading for the kitchen. He froze at what he saw.

It looked as if a troop of monkeys had attacked the kitchen. There was a smoking pan of _burnt_ spaghetto's, how one manages that, he'd never know. He looked at Alexis with a glare, shaking his head. She shrugged at him and he turned around, marching to the sink as he began to clean up the mess.

"You are going to clean up your mess on the table. Scoop that mess into the garbage can." Severus told her in exasperation as he noticed the cereal 'mural'. Alexis pouted as she walked over, huffing to herself as she began to play basketball with the cereal.

"Three points!" She yelled and he grunted. He was too tired to argue with her, to tired to think of a withering retort, he was just plain tired. He got most of the spaghetto's out of the pan and then proceeded to make more in a pot instead of a frying pan. He turned to see Alexis making more of a mess all over the floor.

"Damnit, clean that mess up now." He snarled, storming to the living room. He noticed the lamp on the coffee table, but decided not to ask as he walked to the couch. He collapsed into it and jumped in surprise as it creaked and bent under him.

_Damn it, can't I leave her to her own devices for one bloody moment... All I wanted was to sleep... Was that such a crime?..._ Severus groaned and then he recognized that his foot hurt. He lifted his bare foot to see a shard of glass protruding from his heel. He grabbed it and pulled it out, looking at it questioningly. He then looked at the lamp and realized that it did not only have a broken bulb, but it had been yanked out of the wall, the socket itself coming with the plug. There was plaster by where the plug had been ripped from the wall and there was a trail of glass from where the lamp used to sit.

"Damn it..." He hissed, looking at the living room. He got up and began to clean up the glass, snorting in anger as several of the pieces sliced his palm. He walked into the kitchen, throwing them away as he checked on the spaghettos. Alexis had now taken to playing hockey with the cereal, yelling in a mock-deepened voice.

"She skates down the rink, eyes on the target. She pauses, she aims..."

He had finally had enough. He reached into one of the drawers, pulling out a roll of duct tape with deadly calm.

"She scores! Woohoo! The Wolves have won the championships!"

Severus grabbed one of the chairs from the table and turned it around. He grabbed Alexis, to her confusion, and sat her in the chair, her bouncing as she looked at him with a wide grin and shining eyes.

"Musical chairs! Whoo hoo! ... Where's the music?" She asked and Severus ignored her, taping her to the wooden chair. She mildly fought him and almost bit him, so he taped her mouth first. Then he taped her arms to her sides and her midsection to the chair.

"I don't know what has gotten into you, but I want you to cut it out. Until then, you are going to sit like this." He growled at her and she glared at him, cursing him colorfully behind the silver tape. Her hands were flailing about and he noticed that her one hand was bright red. He knelt at her side, taking her hand and looking at it, recognizing it as at least a second degree burn.

"Damnit all to hell." He huffed as he got up and retrieved the salve. It was near empty and he was glad he had another bottle hidden away. Once reaching the Kitchen, took her hand and she flinched as he touched it, unable to voice her thoughts, which was a good thing. He opened the salve and rubbed it into her hand, making sure he got every part of the burn gently. He got up and replaced the salve in his drawer and he grabbed the gauze. He knelt once more at her side and wrapped her hand gently, seeing that it was secure. Burn and bruises healed differently and he knew her hand would need to be wrapped for the rest of the day. Alexis watched him curiously, not struggling as much at the moment.

Haven taken care of her and taping her arm back at her side, he proceeded to sweep the floor, cleaning up all of Alexis's mess. He was grateful that he could now move without a pain overtaking him, but that didn't mean he wanted to clean. He emptied the dustpan in the garbage pan and walked over to the stove.

The food was done and he made himself and Alexis a bowl. She had stopped struggling totally and had seemed as if she had calmed down a bit.

Severus untaped her arm and her mouth so she could eat by herself, for he didn't feel like feeding her and he sat across from her, enjoying his food and ignoring her rantings. He finished his meal and put his bowl in the sink, taking Alexis's once she was finished.

"Are you going to calm down now?" Severus asked her and she glared at him.

"Yeah, sure. This hurt ya know." She barked at him and he unwrapped her from the chair. The first thing she did was go to try and smack him across the face. He grabbed her wrist before she could and looked at her questioningly.

"Do you really want to piss me off this early in my day?" He asked her and she shook her head and he let her go. He walked to the bathroom and took his shower.

-------------------------

Alexis, not really too keen on cleaning the mess she hadn't realized she had been making all day, decided she would make it interesting. She heard Severus grumbling to himself in the Living room, obviously still cranky from his way-too-long nap, and figured that while he was in there, she could go from playing basketball to hockey, since the rest of her cereal murals were on the floor.

_A pity... I didn't even get any pictures..._ She thought to herself as she laid a can sideways on the floor, stepping back with the broom and taking a few practice shots, shooting cereal pieces to all corners of the room.

She then started sliding forward on her socks, grinning as she monologued to herself. "She skates down the rink, eyes on the target. She pauses, she aims..."

She ignored Severus, who had walked into the Kitchen looking like he was going to beat someone. Shrugging, she continued her commentary as she pulled back the broom, hitting a pile of cereal pieces into the wall, several making it into the goal-can. She raised her arms in victory, shouting happily. "She scores! Woohoo! The Wolves have won the championships!"

She stopped though as she felt hands lowering her arms, and was yanked backwards by Severus, who wasn't saying a word as he shoved her down into one of the chairs. Curious and still very hyped up, she exclaimed hopefully. "Musical chairs! Whoo hoo! ... Where's the music?"

But Severus didn't answer her as he suddenly began rolling duct tape around each leg, and moving to her midsection. It took her a moment to wonder what the hell he was doing, and whatever it was, she didn't like it, so she tried to grab the duct tape away from him, her legs already pinned tightly, and he shoved her hands away.

She growled, snapping at his hand, but he drew back quickly. _What does this idiot think he's doing! _Alexis thought with confusion as Severus hindered her speech with a long piece of duct tape over her mouth. Now this was going a bit far. She struggled violently as he held an arm down, beginning to duct tape that down to as he growled at her.

"I don't know what has gotten into you, but I want you to cut it out. Until then, you are going to sit like this."

She wanted to yell, _what right do you have to demand that, _but it came out more like a muffled growl. Growing desperate, she cursed him behind the sticky tape as she tried to punch him away with her free hand, the other one pinned by him a bit painfully. He surprised her though as he grabbed and stilled her punching hand, studying it with a frown. She stopped struggling slightly, wondering what he was going to do as he hissed something, got up, and disappeared from the room.

_He's finally, truly, lost it... taping me to a chair... I can't believe this ass! _She thought as she studied the situation she was in.

He returned carrying something and knelt once more by her side, grabbing her hand. She flinched as he touched it, cursing him as she realized it was her burnt hand he was studying.

He then carefully rubbed the salve into her hand, and she sighed, the pain she hadn't noticed really before lessening, now her hand just feeling tender as he left once again. She looked at her hand, wondering to herself. _He's acting like he's going to kill me or something, then he goes and fixes my hand? He's the dude you put in a padded room and turn off the lights, then forget he ever existed... _

He returned, once more taking her hand and wrapping it in gauze bandaged. She watched him, wondering if he was coming to his senses and would stop this, but that thought was nixed as he then taped that arm to her side. She glared at him hatefully the whole time he cleaned the kitchen, thinking of the many ways she could kill him. Once again, that knife he had taken from her before came into her thoughts...

Severus had finally finished the dinner, and she figured that if she seemed calm enough, he would let her eat. He set a bowl in front of her, and then warily untaped her arm and mouth, quickly moving out of her reach before she could slap him.

He sat across from her, eating as Alexis hollered at him. "What the hell is your problem! I understand yelling at me, I understand grounding me from television... sort of... but this! What kind of psycho are you man? This is downright degrading..."

She stopped; seething in silent rage as Severus pointedly ignored her. She growled, and then found herself cursing at him in a stream of German, not really knowing what she was saying, just knowing that it sounded bad.

She huffed with frustration as he continued to ignore her presence, angrily eating her spaghettos with her one free hand and silently fuming at this outrage. The food slightly calmed her, though she was still pissed, but she had stopped cursing and taken to sending him death in the form of stabbing glares.

He finished his meal, taking his and her bowl to the sink, and then finally looking at her with an indifferent stare. "Are you going to calm down now?" Severus asked her and she glared at him.

_Hell no! You get duct taped to a chair and see how well you take it! _She thought to say, but was crafty enough to reply instead with an angry tone. "Yeah, sure. This hurt ya know."

He then proceeded to remove the tape, and she stretched slightly, working out the stiffness. As soon as she knew she was alright, she turned and tried to slap Severus without really thinking about it.

He grabbed her hand almost immediately, looking at her intently as he spoke lowly. "Do you really want to piss me off this early in my day?"

_Dude, he's fast.. And I actually almost slapped him... dude... _Alexis thought with wonder, knowing that she shouldn't push him any farther after that and shook her head at his question. He didn't say anything as he then turned and left, probably to take a shower, leaving her there in her slightly calmer anger.

_The ass... he seriously has problems..._

She continued to tell herself as she walked into the living room, jumping on the couch and hanging upside down as she flipped through the channels on the television, though, the whole event sort of putting itself on the back burner as she absorbed herself in more cartoons.

-------------------

Severus heard a knock at the door as he was getting out of the shower and he pulled on some pants, walking to the door. Alexis was lying upside down on the broken couch, acting as if she had not heard the door. Severus had a towel in one hand, which was actually hiding his wand and he opened the door, seeing a winter-clad man in blue. He recognized him as the mail man and Severus took from him a letter and a small box with curious suspicion. After exchanging thanks, Severus closed the door, shivering as he was still shirtless and was wet from his shower.

"Hey Severus... What's up? What'd you get? Who was that? Was it Santa? Kinda early for Santa though... Wonder if I get a dragon for Christmas this year..." Alexis asked him a million questions at once and he tuned her out, seeing that the letter was from an 'Ocard Yoflam', which Severus knew was Draco Malfoy spelled backwards.

"Idiot. This better be good." Severus hissed and Alexis got up, looking at him with a cocked head.

"What is it? Can I read it? Please?" Alexis asked and Severus shook his head, pocketing the box in order to open the letter.

"After I read it." He told her and he opened the letter to see a blank piece of parchment. Severus shook his head and snorted.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." He mused and as he guessed that was the password for the letter. Had someone been a deatheater who knew Alexis, they would have known their orders in a matter of minutes. Draco's script covered the paper quickly, his handwriting looking as if it was written hastily.

"Dear Sev & Alexis..." Severus mumbled aloud, shaking his head as he sat down to read the letter. He finally made it to the final paragraph and his heart froze in his chest. His breathing stopped. He put the letter in his lap, rubbed his eyes and then picked the letter up again, sure as everything that he had not just read what he thought he had read.

But there it was, in Draco's handwriting, a _direct_ order, a _command_, something he was _obligated_ to follow while he was on this mission. There was no way around it. He wasn't asked, he wasn't consulted, he was _told_.

Alexis looked at him and noticed his discomfort.

"Let me read it!" He heard her say and he clutched the letter to him. If she knew they had told him to do this, oh, the field day she would have murdering the ministry... men, women and children.

_How could they tell me to do this... Yes, I'm a spy, but that didn't mean I have to, well, do that... There was absolutely no mention of this earlier in the mission or else I would have flat out refused and thrown a fit... Damn them all to hell..._ Severus thought as Alexis looked at him, but he looked right through her. He couldn't, no, he _wouldn't_ be able to, and he hadn't been able to before, what would change that now?

"Harry, let me read the letter." Alexis hissed and he stood up. She had a right to know, so she could object as well, not that it would do much good.

"Do not pick it up until I have gone to the bathroom." He told Alexis sternly as he set the folded letter on the table. He walked into the bathroom quickly and locked the door, leaning against it as he cursed the entire ministry of Magic, most especially Aaron Billord and Draco Malfoy. They would never see the end of his wrath from this...

---------------------------

Alexis heard the knock on the door, but seeing as Severus was already standing, she decided he could get it. She sat up though, looking over the couch curiously as Severus studied an envelope, mumbling to himself.

Curious and still sugar happy, she rattled off a list of questions that randomly popped into her mind due to her peaked curiosity. "Hey Severus... What's up? What'd you get? Who was that? Was it Santa? Kinda early for Santa though... Wonder if I'll get a dragon for Christmas this year..."

Severus ignored her as he stood in the Kitchen doorframe, scanning the letter as he mumbled to himself.

_Why would Sev get mail and not me? I bet it is for me but he's being an ass and wants to ruin it for me... dork... _She thought as she flipped off the couch, walking towards him as she questioned. "What is it? Can I read it? Please?"

He answered as he pocketed a curious little package before she could snatch that. "After I read it." He mumbled, and pulled out his wand and chanted quickly. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

_Now I know it's for me too... _Alexis thought as she watched Severus read the letter, shifting her feet eagerly and waiting for her turn to read. She stopped though, seeing Severus gradually lose all color in his face, not that there was much in the first place, and watched his eyes grow wide with shock. He set down and picked up the letter twice, looking shell shocked and borderline furious.

The suspense was tearing Alexis apart and she whined. "Let me read it!"

Severus clutched the letter and looked at her almost frightfully, surprising Alexis further. She was starting to get a growing sense of dread, but she wanted to read that damn letter anyway!

"Harry, let me read the letter." Alexis hissed demandingly, not wanting to wait any longer. Severus seemed to be struggling with himself for a moment, but then stood shakily and set the letter on the table.

"Do not pick it up until I have gone to the bathroom."

He didn't wait for an answer as he hurriedly ran to the bedroom; Alexis watching him go with confusion. _Oh well..._

She skipped forward and eagerly took the letter, unfolding it and reading it over.

_'Dear Sev and Alexis._

_I hope everything is going well for you two, we don't have much of a way of finding out, so the most we can do is wish you luck. I know it is risky sending you any kind of information, but I had no choice with this one. And you'll probably hate me after reading this, but I could not prevent it. Believe me, Aaron and I fought to stop this one, but desperate circumstances call for desperate measures, I am sorry to say._

_We have heard that your targets are suspicious to your presence there, and we are sure they will be getting pretty bold soon enough-'_

"Kinda too late for that one..." Alexis muttered grimly, continuing the letter with growing angst.

_'-So we have been told to give you this assignment, knowing that it will greatly put off your target's suspicions of you. A box was delivered with this letter, I believe. Well, in that box, is a ring. Severus, this ring is to go to Alexis. And you aren't just going to hand it to her; you're going to give it to her... on bended knee. I'm pretty sure that you get the idea from here. And yes Severus, you're going to have to say 'The Words'. _

_Listen, you MUST make this as believable as possible; your lives may depend on it. And if you're wondering why this letter isn't in my good handwriting, it's because I know it'll soon be in a million pieces, probably by Alexis. I am truly deeply sorry guys, but this is a direct order from the Ministry. It cannot be ignored. _

_Yours Truly,_

_D.M.' _

Alexis stared at the letter with incomprehension for a moment, the words refusing to sink into her mind. She reread the letter very slowly once more, then really quickly. But the words didn't changed like she had hoped.

Suddenly, her nice sugar-induced cheerful mood just crashed, and a growing anger rose in her chest and she roared in furious unbelief. "They want me to do WHAT?"

She clenched the letter in fury, hands shaking slightly. "I'm already fucking MARRIED! Are they that bloody _retarded_! They seriously don't expect me to go for this, do they!"

She growled angrily, tearing the letter into a thousand little pieces and flinging them over her head. She then stared at the ground, fists clenched as she stared hard at her feet, trembling slightly. _Breath... it's just a big joke... that's all... they can't ask us to do this, it's not protocol... they can't... can't... but, they DID!_

"I'm going to kill them all! Every last one until there's no one to even carry out their _bloodline_!"

She shouted and spun around, grabbing the nearest thing, a wooden chair, and slamming it into the nearest wall, the back and a leg breaking off like toothpicks. Still not done venting her furiousness, she looked around quickly, seeing one of the couch cushions on the floor. She lunged at that like an animal, ripping it into shreds with gleeful rage and scattering the stuffing like snow throughout the living room. She stood, breathing heavily, and kicked the already broken lamp across the room for good measure, reveling in its shattering agony as it crashed into another wall.

She stumbled back, looking around the room for anything else to break, but the couch was a bit too heavy, and she wasn't insane enough to wreck the television. She grew dizzy and plopped in the middle of the floor, crossing her legs and staring at the ground, distractedly counting the paper pieces as she calmed her breathing, then joyfully thinking off in what way she could utterly demolish the Ministry of Magic. _You want to pull this on me, then fine. Just know that your life is in my small, trigger-happy hand..._

-------------------------------

_**The next night... **_

**_After much argument and breaking of furniture..._**

Severus sat in the only remaining chair in the kitchen, his nerves on edge as he tried to process how he was going to pull this off. His frustration was mirrored by Alexis, who was storming about in slacks and a nice shirt, grumbling in discontentment. Severus himself felt almost in his normal dress, with a buttoned up black shirt and slacks. He ran a hand through his hair, vowing that this injustice would be avenged, so help him the powers that be. He stood after a thought, quickly brewing a pot of hot tea. He discreetly pulled out a vial of Alexis's serum and poured it into one of the glasses of liquid. He knew it was still a bit early in the day, but why take any chances? He turned with his cup, looking at Alexis as she grumbled.

"Damnation. Lady Macbeth once said _'Fie my lord, Hell is murky'_... Well hell is looking pretty crystal clear to me." Alexis hissed, taking the time to button the cuff buttons of her sleeve. Severus ignored her in favor of his own thoughts.

_How in the world am I going to do this... I couldn't even propose to the woman I loved... How am I supposed to ask the woman I hate to marry me, even in jest..._ Severus thought as he stood stretching his arm above his head. Alexis had taken to pacing to and fro in the living room, making her own nervous rut in the carpet. Severus put his hands in his pockets to still their nervous actions and immediately yanked them out of their warm cave on feeling the box that held the bane of the moment. The ring. The gold banded, diamond studded, ring. The infernal cause of this great injustice, the forebringer of their doom. Oh how he hated the Ministry, he loathed it with all his being.

"_'Perchance to dream-Ah there lies the rub-'_" Alexis continued to quote Shakespeare, now having moved on to Hamlet. He sighed, picking up her tea and intending to give it to her soon.

"Alexis, do you think your melancholy is helping the situation?" He asked her in agitation. She looked at him and shook her head.

"It clears my mind ok. The man was a genius. I am thinking of that instead of you. And I'll have you know now, you are not kissing me!" She declared and Severus sighed, shaking his head at her.

"We've already covered that. It is a stage kiss, nothing more than an illusion to the eye." He replied and she pouted at him and he stalked toward her.

"Listen, I do not, in anyway, shape or form, want to do this. It is a direct order. Or else I would have found a way around this, trust me." He told her and she sighed at him, looking at him in anger, but he knew it was not at him.

"I know, but how could the ministry do this to me? Did they not notice that I am happily married to a Ministry worker? Did they even consider if he got word of this he would kill them? Did they think about how anybody feels about this? Now they just throw it at us, saying do it. Damnation." She growled, and Severus could tell that she was on the verge of tears.

"I know the feeling, trust me. But I must ask you as we do this, don't take me seriously. I am a good actor and I plan on acting my part, even to my own demise. So, please, anything said, is not meant." He stated and she looked at him in shock.

"Well big freaking duh. I mean, you act like I don't know this is a farce. I won't believe a word you say."

Alexis told him and he sighed in relief. He had known himself to charm almost anyone he so chose to and now he had to force himself to charm her, to make it seem as if his world revolved around her. Oh how much therapy he would need after this. Severus sighed, handing her the tea and speaking quietly. "Here. To calm your nerves."

Alexis scoffed, but took the tea and gulped it to his relief. After some more storming and Alexis retiring to the bathroom to 'apply her other face', they were ready to go. Severus just wanted to throw up. And at that thought, his stomach lurched and he shoved his way past Alexis to the bathroom, emptying the contents of his digestive system into the latrine. Alexis looked at him worriedly and he ignored her, grabbing his toothbrush. After getting rid of that awful taste in his mouth, he grudgingly led Alexis down to the car, opening the door for her and then getting in himself. He pulled out of the parking lot and bid the bile and grotesque feeling within him to fade back into the background.

------------------------

Alexis stalked in from the bedroom, trying to somehow steel herself for the event to come. Severus was sitting in the one chair that she had not managed to break, lost in his own melancholy and thoughts, no doubt trying to steel himself as well. Alexis on the other hand, couldn't bear to sit so still.

She paced nervously, scratchy with irritation at the blouse Artimis had made her pack in case she needed it. _What did I do wrong... did I kill too many people or something? Set fire to the wrong place? If so I'm sorry and am willing to pay off any damage a hundred fold... this is the worst of bloody punishments man..._

Staring hard at her feet as she paced, she growled to herself aloud in growing desperateness. "Damnation. Lady Macbeth once said _'Fie my lord, Hell is murky'_... Well, hell is looking pretty crystal clear to me." She distractedly buttoned the cuff of her sleeves, cursing at them under her breath. She scratched at her arm, cursing at that as well. Glancing outside at the softly falling snow, she cursed every flake as they fell. She was just in a cursing mood tonight.

She paced the length of the living room, trying to find some reason why she was being forced to go through with this. She was pretty sure she hadn't angered any Ministry high official, and she had been a god little Auror over the years and destroyed all the bad guys as she was told. Why then did they damn her to this hell, and then expect her to feign becoming engaged to the man she wouldn't even smile at affectionately if he were the only man on this planet?

"This is similar to one of Shakespeare's tragedies... the dramatic irony... the continued remorse and curses cast upon the characters... the usual conclusion of either one or all of the main characters dying from extreme remorse or some sort of agony... I'm just waiting for the damn applause..." Alexis rambled to herself lowly, shaking her head as she breathed in deeply, trying her hardest to calm down enough to at least make it to the car.

_Just take it one step at a time Alexis... yeah, and that one step will then send me careening off the edge of a cliff into a raging river below... _Alexis thought morosely as she quoted another line from a play she knew quite well, the grammatically enhanced words soothing to her ears somehow. "_'Perchance to dream-Ah there lies the rub-'_"

She was pulled from her thoughts by Severus's low, agitated voice. "Alexis, do you think your melancholy is helping the situation?"

Alexis looked at him and shook her head. "It clears my mind ok. The man was a genius. I am thinking of that instead of you. And I'll have you know now, you are not kissing me!" She had to make that clear. If they were required to go that far, she would up and quit right there. No doubt about it.

"We've already covered that. It is a stage kiss, nothing more than an illusion to the eye." He replied, though the thought of him getting that close still unnerved her greatly as she looked at him apprehensively.

He walked up to her, speaking lowly and a bit more reassuringly. "Listen, I do not, in anyway, shape or form, want to do this. It is a direct order. Or else I would have found a way around this, trust me."

Alexis sighed, knowing that was true, but still angry nonetheless about the whole situation as she voiced some of her anguish to this man who felt at least somewhat the way she did.

"I know, but how could the ministry do this to me? Did they not notice that I am happily married to a Ministry worker? Did they even consider if he got word of this he would kill them? Did they think about how anybody feels about this? Now they just throw it at us, saying do it. Damnation." She growled more softly, so frustrated she felt she almost wanted to cry.

Severus actually, and smartly, didn't mock her, speaking sternly then. "I know the feeling, trust me. But I must ask you as we do this, don't take me seriously. I am a good actor and I plan on acting my part, even to my own demise. So, please, anything said, is not meant."

Alexis was a bit taken aback by this remark. He was actually worried that she would believe him when he would start this whole facade? Did he think her that dense?

"Well big freaking duh. I mean, you act like I don't know this is a farce. I won't believe a word you say." Alexis reassured him, and herself. She knew Severus had a huge ego and thought he could charm the ocean of its bloody fish. But... Alexis also knew how great an actor he could be, and in a way, that kind of worried her.

"Here. To calm your nerves." Severus spoke then, handing her a cup of hot tea. _Nerves... is that what they call it? _Alexis thought grimly as she took the cup and downed it, shivering as the warmth through her.

She then turned from him with a resigned sigh, heading to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her hair, and to look at herself in the mirror and hopefully put herself in a dense enough mind set to go through with this. She was finally leaving the bathroom when Severus, looking deathly pale, shoved past her and dove into the bathroom.

She stepped back with confusion, hearing retching noises and raising an eyebrow with surprise. Severus was seriously nervous enough that he was making himself sick? _Whoa... this really sucks... he better brush his damn teeth if he plans on coming anywhere near me..._ Alexis thought, shaking her head as Severus exited the bathroom, looking a bit shaky but determined nonetheless. She sighed, following him out of the apartment. He opened the door to the car for her and she drew in a deep breath as she seated herself in it, knowing it was only to get worse and weirder from this point on. _Hopefully I won't just say fuck it and attack these sons-of-bitches watching us... then I think we'd be in a bit of trouble... but I would feel so much better..._

Severus apparently knew where they were going, for he didn't say a word concerning where they were, and drove a little ways into town. He parked in front of a small but cozy looking coffee house, a place that looked like it wouldn't hold a lot of people. Looking around and behind them, Alexis noticed a car that had been behind them park about ten spaces away, sitting there dark and silent.

_Our audience... now begins Act I... and I already can't wait for the Interlude and Final Act... _Alexis though grimly to herself, taking a deep breath and putting an automatic smile on her face as Severus came around and opened the door, holding out his hand expectantly. Alexis took it and stepped out of the car, Severus closing the door behind her and leading her into the coffee house.

Alexis was hit with an entrancing aromamatic wall of warm coffee smells and fresh baked sweets as soon as she walked in. She gazed around the shop, her body already warming in the comfortable atmosphere. Several two-seater round tables with an array of holiday centerpieces were spaced evenly through the middle of the shop, and at the back wall was set a high counter with decorative menus of coffees and lattes, cakes and muffins, sweets and cappuccinos, the works. Several fluffy couches and recliners were positioned in the corners near small tables with fanciful lights, and the whole room was only lit enough to make everything visible but still provide a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

Alexis sighed, though maintained a forced smile of pleased approval as Severus led her to a table near the back of the shop, as far away from the four or five other customers in the shop as they could. All Alexis could think as Severus took her coat from her was a defeated, _Oh boy..._

-------------------------------

Severus played his part to the 'T', leading Alexis into the shop holding her hand as if he had no qualm at all with it. He lead her back to one of the farthest away tables, his eyes spying two of the agents following in casually behind them as he took Alexis's coat, setting it in the seat next to her.

"I am getting some coffee, is there anything I can get for you dear?" Severus asked, making eye contact with Alexis. She forced her smile once again and nodded slightly.

"A chocolate cappuccino. Please dear." She replied to him and he nodded, walking up to the counter. He got himself a hot cup of strong coffee and Alexis her confounded chocolate confection. Though he knew that if he saw himself from the outside, it would look to the world as if he had no dream of being anyone else but here. Severus walked over to the table, setting Alexis's cup down softly.

"There you go sweetheart." He told her softly, sitting across from her. Alexis obviously was fighting to keep herself from hexing him. He spared a minor glance to their watchers, seeing that they were 'intent' upon their coffee and doughnuts.

"Lindsey, are you alright? You seem to be worried a bit. It's not about my unknown reasoning for bringing you here, is it?" He asked, though he knew it was. He was struggling to keep himself and her in check.

"No, not at all honey, I'm just a bit chilly that's all." She told him, looking to her jacket and he knew why she wanted it back. Thinking that he had not seen her, she had tucked her wand in the side pocket. No, besides, this was yet another opportunity to make him want to retch. He stood and took off his own jacket, putting it over her shoulders in a seemingly loving fashion.

"There you go dear. You should have told me. And why don't you drink some of your cappuccino, it should warm you up." Severus stated, gesturing to the steaming cup in front of her.

"Why thank you Harry, but without your jacket, you'll freeze. Why not let me wear my own?" She questioned, obviously eager to have her wand. He would not have her breaking apart on him when he was so close to saying screw it himself. His stomach was uneasy and he knew he was making himself sick.

"Well, dear, my jacket is already warm for you." He stated, taking a sip of his coffee to calm his own nerves. Alexis balled her fist on the table in agitation and in a quick cover up move; Severus quickly placed his own over it, unseeingly gripping her hand tightly.

"Why, Lindsey, your hands are freezing. Why not put your hands in the pockets, or hold on to your cup to warm them." He told her softly and she forced a smirk at him, and he knew she was really trying to control herself. Then Severus suddenly realized that the pockets he had just instructed Alexis to put her hands in had the box that the ring was in them. _Aw Damnit... I can solve this... I can solve this... I don't want to have to hug her..._ Severus thought as Alexis slipped her hand out from under his and tucked them in the pockets. He saw the look of shock on her face and he knew she had found the box. She smirked at him and pulled her hand out slowly, holding the box in her palm.

"Harry, dear, what's this in your pocket?" She asked him and he gulped, knowing this was a moment to come closer to the final act of this charade.

"Oh damnation. I thought I had left that in the car. You weren't supposed to see it yet." Severus stated nervously, taking the box from her hand quickly and she looked at him in mock surprise.

"Harry, now you have intrigued me. Tell me, what's in that little box?" Alexis asked mockingly and Severus sighed, taking that as his cue.

_I am ok... I am okay... I am not going to get sick... I am not going to choke up... I am going to do this professionally and I am going to get it over with..._ Severus told himself as he grabbed Alexis's hand, forcing a soft smile on his face. Instead of thinking of Alexis, he thought of someone else, sometime else, just something that was not Alexis. Alexis looked near as ill as him in the eyes but had a calm, confused look on her face.

"Lindsey, I was planning on doing this someplace that was not full of people, but alas you have caught me..." Severus stated, trying to hold back the bile rising in his throat.

"Harry?" She asked and he held a hand up to silence her.

"Lindsey, I should have asked you this long ago, before we came to America... But I figured, with a new scene and the hope of a new life, this would be a better suited time." Severus stated his mind clear except on the present task. Suddenly it went from Alexis to a delicate situation, to which Severus must figure out the perfect combination, the best way to solve the puzzle. Thinking of it like that calmed Severus. He, mildly nervously, dropped from his chair to one knee in front of Alexis, ignoring all the watching eyes as he opened the ring box.

"Lindsey, sweetheart, darling love of my life, will you marry me." Severus rushed out and Alexis looked at him in wonder for a moment, her emotions conflicting both outwardly and in her eyes. But the inner emotions seemed to be between rage and desolation while the outward ones were joy and caution.

"Har.. Harry... Yes, of course..." Alexis stammered out and Severus had to act relieved, though now he felt sicker. He slid the ring on her finger softly, and then he stood, making Alexis stand with him. He then carefully wrapped her in his arms, almost revolted as he leaned in and kissed her cheek, his hand coming up to the side of her face to make it seem as if her was kissing her full on the lips. Alexis's eyes were wild with contempt and Severus backed away, smiling and Alexis smiled back.

_Well that's the hard part... Now we just have to act lovesick and get back to the apartment..._ Severus thought as Alexis smirked at him, almost reading his thoughts.

"Wow, darling. Oh we just have to go home now. I need to write my mother, and of course tell her that she was dreadfully wrong about you being a useless bum who would never want to marry me." Alexis spoke and Severus forced a chuckle, shaking his head.

"If you wish to go home, my sweet, them home we shall go." He stated, picking up his coffee and folding her jacket over one arm as he took her other hand. She looked at him nervously smiling and with that he led her out of the coffee house, hopefully so he could go home and drown himself.

_I hate the ministry... Almost as much hate well, the ministry... Damn them to hell..._ Severus thought as he pulled out of the parking lot, realizing that their tails were a bit slower in following them.

Severus and Alexis rode home in silence, from time to time, Alexis taking long sips of her drink. They got to the house and Severus opened the front door for them. He looked out to the windows, seeing that their shadows were still watching the house.

"We're still being watched Whyte, so don't have that fit just yet." Severus told her and she snorted at him. He looked at the clock and then at her.

"Why don't we end this evening early and head to bed." Severus stated and Alexis nodded in reply, walking to the bathroom, oddly silent. Severus quickly changed form his clothes to his pajamas and laid down in the bed, trying hard to not think about anything but the soft comfort of the bed.

Alexis walked in and turned off the light, crawling into the bed automatically, a look that resembled a sort of mind numbed trance on her face. He moved so she could move closer to him and he relaxed as she curled up next to him, absorbing his warmth.

"Not one word." She hissed at him finally, as if she expected him to say something and they lay in silence until she fell into an uneasy but deep asleep. Severus on the other hand, was restless and his mind raced with the predicament they found themselves in.

_I can't believe I did that... I asked her to marry me and now we are cuddling..._ Severus thought as he finally drifted off to sleep.

---------------------------------

Alexis watched Severus as he took her coat, silently cursing him for that move. _My wand's in there Damnit..._ She thought as Severus asked in a sickeningly polite voice, looking her in the eyes. "I am getting some coffee, is there anything I can get for you dear?"

Alexis had to remember to smile as she replied, remembering her courtesies in the nick of time. "A chocolate cappuccino. Please dear."

She watched him get up and leave, and she stared at the table, shaking her head minusculely, still not believing she was actually going through with this.

"There you go sweetheart." His voice suddenly spoke right next to her, and she couldn't keep the fuming in her eyes, cringing internally at his 'beautiful' use of wordplay. _God, I'm going to be sick..._

"Lindsey, are you alright? You seem to be worried a bit. It's not about my unknown reasoning for bringing you here, is it?" He asked relentlessly, and she was starting to think he was deliberately mocking her. _Does he _want_ me to totally annihilate this shop from the face of the earth? Cause I'm very close to it... _Alexis thought angrily as she instead replied with a calm voice. "No, not at all honey, I'm just a bit chilly that's all."

She smirked a bit, knowing he would have to give her back her jacket. Then maybe she can sneak it out enough to quickly take out the few agents before they knew what hit them...

But to her surprise, Severus stood, removing his own jacket and draping it over her shoulders as he smiled and spoke tenderly, making her want to gag. "There you go dear. You should have told me. And why don't you drink some of your cappuccino, it should warm you up."

_Oohh, the little jerk... _She thought as she tried to think up a way to get her jacket.

"Why thank you Harry, but without your jacket, you'll freeze. Why not let me wear my own?" He smiled at her, never betraying any of his internal feelings, knowing he was most likely considering using the wand himself. Instead, he pulled out one of the old tricks that actually sort of surprised her.

"Well, dear, my jacket is already warm for you."

She clenched her fist in growing frustration, finding it harder to maintain a carefree face in the midst of this act and his Severus's seeming mocking smirk. Apparently he felt she was getting to the point of cracking, for he covered her clenched hand with his own, and she felt him grip it. Looking into his coal black eyes, she saw an intent warning, and checked back her temper. _Wouldn't be good to go up in flames right now..._ She thought as Severus covered up.

"Why, Lindsey, your hands are freezing. Why not put your hands in the pockets, or hold on to your cup to warm them?"

Alexis gave him a smirk, trying to keep her grim sarcasm out of it, and took her hand from his, shuddering slightly as she stuck them in her pockets to satisfy him. Her eyes then widened then in surprise, feeling the little ring box in the pocket. _The dork screwed up... now I've got to think of a way out of this... I hope he catches on... _Alexis thought a bit nervously, still not sure if she was ready to go through with this.

_I've already done this once, and that was stressing enough... and I doing even like this guy... does anybody see the lack of motivation here? _She thought, and then steeled herself, pushing aside most of her emotions as she pulled out the box, pulling on a feigned look of curious amusement.

"Harry, dear, what's this in your pocket?" She asked him, watching him intently and hoping he caught the cue.

"Oh damnation. I thought I had left that in the car. You weren't supposed to see it yet." Severus stated nervously as he took the box from her, and Alexis felt a small glimmer of relief that he had realized the cue. She pretended to look surprised when in all reality she wanted to look pissed and murderous.

"Harry, now you have intrigued me. Tell me, what's in that little box?" Alexis asked, trying to sound teasingly mocking, thinking it was time he got taunted a bit.

Severus impulsively grabbed her hand, and for a moment, she thought he was losing it, but he forced an almost pained smile on his face. Then his eyes seemed to blank, as if he were lost somewhere in his mind. He smiled a more genuine smile it seemed, making Alexis feel ill about how serious he was seeming to be. _He's just a really good actor... none of this is real, or will ever be real... just keep remembering that..._ She thought, looking at him with calm confusion as he spoke tenderly.

"Lindsey, I was planning on doing this someplace that was not full of people, but alas you have caught me..."

_Oh god... I, I don't know if I can actually do this, it's freaking me out... _Alexis started to feel a bit panicked, and involuntarily spoke out, starting to almost protest.

"Harry?" She started, but he silenced her with a gesture, and she bit her lip sharply, tasting a bit of blood as he continued.

"Lindsey, I should have asked you this long ago, before we came to America... But I figured, with a new scene and the hope of a new life, this would be a better suited time."

_God, he's seems good at this... it's scary... _Alexis thought nervously, and she instinctively caught her breath as Severus moved from his seat.

_Pretend it's not him... remember when Ron did this... it'll all be over soon... _Alexis thought quickly as Severus kneeled in front of her, looking a bit nervous as he spoke out in a rush. "Lindsey, sweetheart, darling love of my life, will you marry me."

Alexis was taken aback for a moment, the shock seeping in that he had pulled it off and sounded sincere, and fought back being either sick or enraged at the moment. She struggled desperately for control, not believing the disgrace of this event as she yelled at herself.

_It's you're turn dork! Say the damn words before you screw up!_ She shook herself and stammered out in a soft, seeming amazed voice. "Har.. Harry... Yes, of course..."

She dimly felt the ring slipped on her finger, and was smiling on instinct now as Severus almost had to pull her to her feet. She tensed as Severus closed in, but made herself stay in place as Severus's warm lips pressed almost right next to her own, and she closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see this happening. She felt his hand on her cheek, then he pulled away, and she quickly forced a smile, staring at him as he smiled back.

She then looked at the clock distractedly, and Alexis was internally cheering as she stated on cue, trying to sound as ecstatic as possible. "Wow, darling. Oh we just have to go home now. I need to write my mother, and of course tell her that she was dreadfully wrong about you being a useless bum who would never want to marry me."

"If you wish to go home, my sweet, them home we shall go." He stated, taking his coffee in one hand as he took her arm in his other. She grabbed her coffee and from that point on, she was acting on autopilot to prevent herself from ding anything drastic, letting him lead her out of the shop to the car.

She stared out the window the whole way home, taking long drinks of her hot coffee, enjoying the burning sensations in her throat as they fleetingly masked the event that had just occurred. She entered the apartment as if in a trance, too exhausted from the stress of the day and emotion to act any different. She barely heard Severus state quietly as she stood there.

"We're still being watched Whyte, so don't have that fit just yet."

_Oh yeah, a fit... I'm beyond a fit... _She thought and agreed without argument to Severus's suggestion for bedtime. She went to the bathroom without a word to him, automatically changing and entering the room again, turning off the light and, like a zombie, crawling into bed beside Severus, who let her curl against him for warmth. It was so natural by now, she didn't care anymore. After this little event, she doubted much anything else could disturb her.

_I never want to hear about this again in my life... EVER..._ Alexis thought, and just to make sure, she hissed at Severus with all the warning she could muster, the first words to him since leaving the coffee house. "Not one word."

He didn't answer, but knew that he would agree to that statement. It wasn't soon before she dozed off into a fitful sleep from her exhaustion, her dreams haunted throughout the long night.

* * *

_**You Know, Reviews make us happy writers...  
Happy writers have better plots...  
So please make us happy...  
Toodles  
**EckoStalker_


	10. Turned Tables 9 Part 1

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 9 Part I  
****"Turned Tables"  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker  
----------------------------------

**Author's Notes:** This is chapter nine folks and there are only ten chapters of this story... How will this end, will our duo survive this mission from hell and live to tell the tale or will the tale die on thier lips...? Sorry about the being dramatic part...

**DISCLAIMER:** Most of, if not all, of the Monsters/Creatures mentioned in this story can be founf in Magical Beast and Where To Find Them by The Mighty JK Rowling...Most of the otrher stuff is ours... Like Alexis, our bad guys and the over all scene...

* * *

_**A few days later...**_

"I'm not buying it." Jackson spoke; chin in his hand as he sat slouched at the table where the committee was seated in the small room at the warehouse.

"But sir, the other team has nothing on the couple on the east end, and we've tailed the couple we've already tried to apprehend enough to think that their just a simple couple trying to make it work in America." Andrew spoke, head of the team of agents.

"What makes you so sure of this?" Jackson questioned, watching him intently.

"Well, the one attempt at bringing them in didn't go too well, but they had refrained from using any type of magic at all, and we were... well..."

"Go on." Jackson urged him. Andrew looked a little embarrassed as he mumbled.

"We were solely beaten back by the male with... with only a frying pan. Surely if they were in a predicament to be caught they would've used magic to avoid it." Andrew spoke, ignoring the few snickers from the other occupants of the room.

"Why haven't you tried again to bring in this couple?" One man asked him, backed up with accusatory murmurs.

Andrew looked a little lost for a moment, then composed himself and explained. "We drew back for a few days and proceeded to keep a close and constant watch on them as we recovered from the encounter. We were ready to move in once more, but the couple showed no sign of being spies which confused us, never leaving their apartment within those few days, and later joining in on events that I doubt any agents would actually do. One involved actually becoming engaged. Tell me, do any of you recall spies ever going that far for a cover story?"

"Not a good enough excuse! We are still being infiltrated, and you guys say you have nothing on any of these couples?" One man yelled out angrily.

"He is right. This is no excuse. We can't be sure about any of them now." A man agreed calmly.

"For all we know, both couples could be our spies and could be taking turns trying to bust us. We _can't _risk anymore gentlemen; we have to find these people soon before we're ruined. We've too much at stake to have this blow up in our faces." Jackson spoke up loudly and with slight frustration at the continued failures to figure this out.

"What do you propose we do then Jackson? You've already said we can't just outright kill them, and your trusted agents can't even bring a simple team of two people, one a _female_, in for questioning!" A man scoffed, and the agent Andrew gave him a quick indignant glare.

"Francis, you don't think often do you. Well, probably for the better, but that's not the point. I know exactly what we're going to do." Jackson spoke, sitting back with a smug look on his features. The room of people looked at him curiously, quiet with interest.

"Gentlemen, I have a scheme in mind. Our drop off date is drawing ever closer. Any spy worth his salt would see this as a perfect opportunity to try and pull something; it would be their last chance. I can _guarantee_ our friends will be visiting on that day, which is not far off. But this time, we'll be ready for them. No more sitting back and waiting for them to strike. This time we'll catch them in the act, like children with their hands caught in the cookie jar. Helpless." Jackson eluded tauntingly, his audience leaning forward in their seats with eagerness.

"Well? What's this brilliant plan that you have in mind?" Francis spoke impatiently, sounding a bit mocking. Jackson looked at him calmly, a huge grin spreading over his face.

--------------------------------

_**A few more days later...**_

Severus and Alexis moved though the snow filled alleyway, their faces covered by black masks that covered their noses and mouths. It was mostly for the cold, but Alexis had mad a huge stink about how they made them seem ninja-ish, what ever that meant. Severus was cold to the core, and they had only been outside for twenty minutes. They were back tracking themselves, making so that their coming footprints would not lead back to the apartment. After twenty more minutes of mindless navigation though snowdrifts that matched themselves, they approached the warehouse. Alexis looked to Severus and pointed up, signifying that she was going to do her _'monkey act'_ as Severus liked to think of it and turn off the cameras. He watched as the black clad woman climbed up a pipe with serpentine agility and then gestured for him to keep moving. He moved along the walls, keeping in the shadows with one hand on his wand.

"...Any sign of notice Ass?..." Alexis's voice asked him over the ear piece and Severus looked around the corner of the building that he had come to, searching with narrow eyes for any guards.

"None at all, bitch." He replied and he could hear her snickering. He watched as she crouched on the edge of one roof and then leapt to the other, taking care of that camera.

"You're going to fall and break your neck." He hissed at her and she snorted in his ear.

"...You only wish..." Her voice echoed over the radio as he moved to the next building, blending with the shadows like death itself. He moved though the snow, his eyes focused on the ground surrounding the warehouse, looking for dogs or men, though after Severus killed one of the dogs; he doubted that the men would set the dogs loose again.

He moved toward the back entrance and saw a singular guard in front of the door. He snickered as he made a noise loud enough for the fool to hear, making the guard rush forward. Severus waited until the man was there and Severus hit him in the face solidly, knocking him on his ass and kicking him in the face, knocking him out. Severus smirked in satisfaction.

"I've always wanted to do that..." He mused as he turned around the corner, hearing Alexis landing on the roof above him. He got to the door that he had forced entry upon more times than he could count and he knelt by it, feeling Alexis leap to the ground right behind him, watching his back. He heard the lock click and he opened the door, stepping in as Alexis backed in. He drew his wand, his senses telling him something was up.

Severus stuck to a wall like glue, his eye adjusting to the darkness quickly as he scanned for anything out of order. The only thing he noticed was that there were exceedingly more crates of creatures, which had been steadily growing. Alexis was on the other wall and Severus walked over to the wall that had the motion sensor and disabled it for the millionth time.

"...Clear?..." Alexis asked and he looked at her and then looked around, seeing nothing but crates.

"Clear." He replied and then proceeded to move down the wall, holding his wand as he crept along. He watched as Alexis took her running jumps from crate to crate, her form of showing off. He got to just below the catwalk leading to the office and Alexis leapt to the ground next to him off of the crate.

"Give me a lift." She told him and he sighed, kneeling down and cupping his hands to give her a boost up to the catwalk. As he was lifting Alexis up though, his senses went haywire with warnings and he dropped Alexis to the ground.

At that particular moment, the lights flashed on and Alexis leapt to her feet drawing her wand as Severus rose up, pulling his wand as he realized that they were surrounded.

------------------------

Alexis scrambled to her feet, ignoring the fact that Severus the Dork had just dropped her, as she gaze darted about nervously, the shadows moving as forms materialized into the light from all around them. She stepped away from Severus slightly, thinking to herself as she smirked grimly in anticipation of the fight to follow.

_Not too bad.. Only about eight or so of them... I can take 'em..._ But that thought vanished as around her more and more big, burly-looking men slinked out of their hiding places, numbering about thirteen of the assailants, all armed with wands and miscellaneous weapons including bats, metal poles and chains.

_Ooh, this could be more of a challenge... _Alexis thought as she winced slightly, stepping back towards Severus. They were slowly herded by the horde of people out into the openness away from the numerous crates, Alexis and Severus now standing back to back, watching grimly. Alexis looked over her shoulder up at Severus and hissed. "This is all your bloody fault."

Severus looked down at her like she was nuts and replied. "What did I do now!"

Alexis thought a moment, but couldn't really come up with anything. So she shrugged and answered. "I don't know, I just had to blame it on something."

Severus sighed deeply, rolling his eyes as he looked back at the circle of wizards, who stared back with arrogant smirks. Alexis tensed, waiting for the first move, but the group continued to stare, and she was getting pretty annoyed. She finally rolled her eyes and growled as she unsnapped her nunchucks from her belt, twirling them in her left hand and she held out her wand with her right. "Well, let's get this party started then!"

She stepped out and called loudly. "_Impedimenta!_"

Severus called out a spell right after her, then both dove to the floor as a barrage of spells erupted around them, both throwing up shield spells and struggling to hold them as the spells attacked them ruthlessly.

"Now that's more like it..." Alexis spoke, leaning against Severus's back as she continually renewed the shield spell. Severus scoffed at her, but refrained from speaking as he concentrated on holding off the curses as well.

The relentless barrage lessened somewhat, to Alexis's immense relief, and a few of the assailants started to run forward under protective cover from their companions at the two spies. Alexis found it easy enough to break away. She rolled away from Severus and dropped her shield spells, jumping to her feet and swinging her nunchucks in a swirl of attacks at the three advancing men. She cracked the first one easy enough in the face, breaking his nose and sending him to the floor. But the other two jumped over him and lunged at Alexis, who backed up a few steps and went into defensive mode as one swung a metal pole at her.

She was knocked forward by another man who had appeared behind her, and immediately rolled under her pole-opponent, who accidentally clobbered his buddy upside his head. Alexis snickered, but was then slammed in the back, knocking the breath out of her. She fell to her knees painfully, shoulders throbbing as she saw the bat swinging at her again. She swung her nunchucks at it and they wrapped around the wooden tool. She then yanked and pulled the bat out of the man's hand, growling as she rose to her feet, trying catching her breath.

No such luck though as three more men ran at her, her being forced to bring up her nunchucks in a swirling attempt to stave off their attacks as she was pushed backwards. Her eyes widened as she thought desperately to herself. _There's too many of them... I don't have enough time to be on the offense..._

She duckedas a man threw a punch at her, and then kicked out at him. But the victory was short lived for one man whipped a chain out and snapped it at her, catching around her wrist and nunchucks.

She cried out painfully as he yanked it back, making her drop her nunchucks and making her see stars from the pain in her wrist. She growled angrily. "Wrong move mister..." She turned her wrist, ignoring the lancing pain and grabbed the chain, yanking it back and making the man stumble.

She had no chance though to attack though as a body slammed into her, arms pulling her down as the body covered her almost completely. She struggled slightly, but froze just as a green spell flew right past the man who grasped her back.

She looked up and recognized Severus holding her down. He looked up then and let go of her, and she stared at him with amazement at the stunt."Um... thanks..."

"Don't thank me yet..." He spoke grimly as Alexis followed his gaze. Most of the opponents were still up and moving, now reorganizing and grouping in to close in on them in one solid mass. Alexis knew that all that brute strength would most likely put a nice damper on their defense, but she was determined to give them hell when they did so. She thought briefly of using her flame powers, but she knew Severus was too close and would get burnt to a crisp if she did. _Well... if I happen to get a few feet away from him, I might have a chance to... _She thought, though with not much conviction.

She backed up with Severus till their backs hit the wall of one very large crate, no place now left to go as they tried to regain their breath to further the battle. She looked up at the panting Severus beside her, who was watching the approaching wave of assailants draw in closer with a growing look of angered hopelessness in his eyes.

She sighed, looking to the group as she spoke to him. "Severus?"  
He didn't look at her as he answered. "Yes Whyte?"

Alexis bit her lip for a moment in deep thought, wondering what she could say to him, and Severus looked down at her in confusion. Finally, Alexis shrugged and spoke. "Nevermind."

Severus seemed to have a small glint of amusement in his eyes as he replied. "Likewise Alexis. Likewise."

Alexis nodded resolutely, bringing up her wand in anticipation and pushing aside the pain of her bruised self while wishing she had been able to retrieve her nunchucks as she tensed for the first wave of attacks. Suddenly a bright fiery blast erupted, blinding her. She turned away quickly, eyes closed tight as she clutched the nearest thing with instinctive reactions.

--------------------------------

Severus looked at their growing enemy with a mixture of anger and fear. Anger at his own stupidity of not listening to his instincts earlier and fear at the fact that they may very well get their asses handed to them. He counted heads and found that it was him and the Weird Wonder versus thirteen magically and physically armed men.

_Just fucking peachy..._ Severus thought as he inventoried their assailants with their barbaric chain, bats, and clubs, all they need were axes and they'd have been able to pass for the Vikings. Severus felt Alexis move toward him and he shook his head, drawing his wand, seeing as he never carried any other weapon on him besides his boot dagger. For that, he cursed himself.

Severus and Alexis slowly were maneuvered out of the safety and protection of the crates to which they could hide and Severus was trying to logically find an escape. Alexis was now at his back, her smaller form pressed back against him. He was watching, waiting for the first move, the first aggression. Alexis was instead the first to make a sound.

"This is all your bloody fault." She hissed at him and he looked down at her like she had fallen off her rocker.

_How is this my bloody fault... I didn't summon men to come kick our asses..._ He thought as he replied. "What did I do now!"

She thought for a moment, making him angry because it made him think she had forgotten their present situation and she then shrugged, replying. "I don't know, I just had to blame it on something."

He sighed at her, rolling his eyes as he returned his focus on the more imminent problem, getting out of here alive. He felt Alexis tense against him and she unsnapped her confounded nunchucks.

_At least she is carrying a weapon, you moron... Though she will most likely succeed in knocking me out with them..._ Severus though as he heard Alexis summon them to their death.

"Well, let's get this party started then!" She stated as she stepped away from him and followed her utterance with a jinx. Severus, taking the initiative, yelled out.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Disarming his first opponent expertly. He saw and felt the wave of magic coming toward him from both sides and he threw up a shield spell, praying Alexis had the presence of mind to do the same. This time his hope was not in vain as she pressed against him, obviously struggling as much as him to hold back the barrage of spells coming toward them.

"Now that's more like it..." Severus heard her say and he scoffed at her arrogance, but held his comment as he threw up yet another shield spell. Had he not been in a life or death situation, he would have yelled at her.

Severus saw the diminishing amount of spells and had two large juggernauts rush forward to him. He made a fist around his wand and a fist with the other hand, knowing he was really no match for an iron bar and a bat, but willing to go down trying. He ducked the first swing, kicking the man in the shins as the other brought the bat around and slammed him in the side. The same side that had been injured before when he had to help Alexis.

"Oh, you bastard!" Severus stated through a grimace as he grabbed the man by the ear and head butted him, something he had not done in many years. He successful knocked the man back, but managed in making his head ring. He had no time to think of that thought as an iron pole was swung at his head with deadly force. He ducked and side stepped, knife handing the idiot on the neck, sending him flying on to his companion. He saw Alexis in a fight of her own, her nunchucks having been tossed from her hands. He was about to turn to his own fight when he heard the beginning of a spell that made him run like his feet were on fire.

One of the not fighting attackers had just thrown a killing curse at Alexis as Severus grabbed her and yanked her to the ground as he covered her with his body, himself narrowly missing the green jet that passed them and hit a wall. He saw Alexis go to hit him, but recognized him as she stared at him in amazement.

"Um... thanks..." She stated and Severus shook his head, not having the time for this.

"Don't thank me yet..." He told her grimly as he gazed at their attackers. Most of them were still up and moving, with the exception of Severus's bashing buddy, and they were regrouping and moving in as one solid mass. He let Alexis go as he began to back up, Alexis following him at his side. He began to think of anyway known to him to escape, but everything lead to either him dying, or leaving Alexis to die, which didn't sound bad, but was against the rules of partnership.

They backed up until Severus heard a solid thud of his back hitting a crate.

_We're screwed... Utterly, without fail, screwed..._ Severus thought as he inhaled, ignoring the returning ache of his side. He was actually panting with exhaustion and pain, but he needed to think about the approaching doom. He looked at Alexis out of the corner of his eye and wanted to sigh.

_She is about to make a 'before we go down' speech..._ Severus thought and as if on cue, she spoke not looking at him.

"Severus?"  
_I hate being right sometimes..._ He thought as he answered, not looking at her, but glaring straight ahead.

"Yes Whyte?" She was silent for a long time and he looked down at her in confusion.

_What is going on in that head of hers... If she tells me she has to go the bathroom I am going to kill her..._ He thought as he watched her bite her lip. Then she shrugged and spoke.

"Nevermind."

_That was interesting... For a moment there, I thought she was actually going to say something deep... But that's too unlike her..._ Severus thought with amusement as he replied understanding, yet not understanding at the same time.

"Likewise Alexis. Likewise."

He watched as she nodded, seemingly telling herself and her fate she was ready for death as she raised her wand. Severus tensed for the first and probably the last barrage of attacks.

Suddenly an explosion ripped out in front of them and Severus, assuming it was the final moments of his final battle, turned and covered Alexis with himself.

On a whim, in that instant, he whispered to Alexis as he tried to protect her.

"I'm sorry..." He stated as she clung to him.

He waited there for a moment, wondering why death had not come and he opened his eyes, seeing that he and Alexis we alive and way to close for comfort. He let her go as he looked at what had appeared before him and Alexis, between them and the bad guys.

"Hey guys, need some help?" Vicky asked as she held a large gun in her hands, pointing it at their assailants. Alexis looked like she was about to explode in joy and Severus, though he couldn't believe he was thinking it, he was glad for Vicky and Erica for once in his life. Erica stood next to Vicky, laden down with bottles that looked to hold explosive liquids.

"Even though we're mad at you, we can't let you die, that's Artimis's job to kill you." Erica replied as she nodded at Vicky.

"Let's rock and roll!" Vicky yelled as she cocked the gun and the pulled the trigger. A large blue bubble came out. Severus wished that he had died a moment ago.

"Damn it, wrong gun, let's make due with what we have!" Erica shouted as she sent a bottle flying, it hitting and exploding a back wall.

"What was that a moment ago?" Alexis asked and Severus looked at her like she was crazy.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, knowing what she was talking about, but willing to deny it.

"You said something when... we grabbed each other in defense..." Alexis stated and Severus sighed.

"Oh shit?... That's all I said... Look at those two; we're all going to die..." Severus stated as he covered his eyes for a moment as he witnessed Vicky fill the room with bubbles while Erica blew everything up. But then Severus saw the impossible. The bubbles were deflecting the spells. He looked at Alexis and she looked smug as she held her wand again, gesturing for them both to join the fight. He nodded and rushed forward, mildly thankful for the cover of the obnoxious bubbles.

---------------------------

Alexis clung to Severus as the explosion superheated the air around them, Severus to her confusion, pulling her around to where she was shielded by his body. Too shocked to question, Severus also added as icing to the cake. "I'm sorry..."

_He's WHAT! Oh well... we're going to die anyway... _Alexis thought, tensed for the first waves of painful death. But they never came. She looked up, seeing Severus staring down at her. She immediately pushed away from him, shaking her head as she looked towards where the bad dudes once stood.

Several were nowhere in sight, and the rest were groaning and sprawled on the floor in front of two silhouetted people. Looking closer, she recognized them as Erica and Vicky, Vicky speaking chipperly, holding a large weapon in both hands. "Hey guys, need some help?"

Alexis could've kissed them right there, if it wasn't too weird. _Fate dareth not come for me yet... _Alexis thought mockingly to herself, feeling poetic as she heard Erica explain their sudden arrival. "Even though we're mad at you, we can't let you die, that's Artimis's job to kill you."

_Well, that's real nice... love ya too guys... _Alexis thought grimly, shaking her head as she leaned down and picked up her dropped wand, Vicky hollering. "Let's rock and roll!"

Alexis tensed, expecting a loud report of firing, but instead a huge bubble popped out of the gun and Alexis saw their enemies rising to their feet with anger.

"Damn it, wrong gun, let's make due with what we have!" Erica shouted, throwing another explosive and Alexis turned to look at Severus.

She had to make sure what he said before it bugged the hell out of her. "What was that a moment ago?"

"What are you talking about?" He covered, not meeting her gaze.

"You said something when... we grabbed each other in defense..." Alexis stated wonderingly, knowing he said it but wanting him to confirm it.

"Oh shit?... That's all I said... Look at those two; we're all going to die..." Severus growled roughly, distractedly looking to Vicky and Erica. _He did! He's horrible at covering up stuff like that... wow... _She thought, but pushed it aside as the first few assailants were on their feet and making their way towards them with fury. Alexis smirked, looking up at Severus expectantly as she waved her wand. He nodded in agreement, and Alexis dove forward into the growing wall of unpoppable bubbles from Vicky's bubble gun. She knew what they were; she had helped test it out when they first got it. She jumped as several spells exploded around her, but smiled as the bubbles sent them bouncing back at their casters, making them obsolete.

"I think we have a little better chance now..." Alexis spoke as she jumped up on the nearest crate, jumping along a few until she found a group of the dark wizards desperately trying to find a way to rid of the bubbles Vicky was insanely creating, laughing the whole time as explosions echoed throughout the complex thanks to Erica, mingling with the fearful screams and calls of the beasts within the crates. Alexis crouched down, tensing herself, then jumped and flipped, landing on one of the men and knocking him painfully to the ground.

"Hey fellas, didja miss me?" Alexis spoke sweetly as the three others turned around with surprise. Two immediately pulled out their wands as one pulled out a thin metal rod. Alexis's eyes widened as the rod sparked, and she recognized it as an electric cattle prodder.

She gulped, then growled and stuffed her wand in her pocket. She concentrated, attempting to call her flame powers from within her. But like before, the magic slipped from her mind, and she stood there in gaping confusion. She tried again, holding up her hands as she stared at them, willing them to burst into flames and reassure her. Not even a wisp of smoke appeared.

She looked up with wide eyes as the four men closed in on her, and she knew this couldn't just be a bad coincidence. She then drew in a sharp breath, knowing there was only one person who could've done anything about this. She yelled out in a scream of anger. "YOU ASS!"

She hoped Severus had heard it, for behind it was a promise of pain if he didn't give her a good answer when she got a hold of him.

She ducked to the ground as a man lunged at her, and she kicked out sharply in anger, growling curses under her breath the entire time as the man fell into a buddy of his. She pulled out her wand, hissing. "_Stupefy!_" And one of them fell to the ground in a dead faint.

Then it was as if her every nerve was on fire as she went rigid, pain coursing in waves along her body and making her see stars. It let up for a blissful moment, and she slumped to the ground, breathing shallowly as her side throbbed where it felt a red hot iron had been pressed against it. She looked up as the man with the electric prodder jabbed it at her again, but she rolled away, it hitting the ground right where she would've been, sending up a shower of sparks.

She swept out a foot and tripped the man, lunging atop of him and taking a handful of his hair, slamming his head back into the concrete and knocking him out cold. She nodded, but then gasped as a hand latched onto the back of her neck. She spun around and swung out with her fist, but the man grabbed it and twisted. She cried out as her already injured and bruised wrist burned with pain, and the man lifted her to her feet, throwing her roughly against a crate.

Alexis slumped against it, fighting for breath and trying to ignore her pain as the man pulled out his wand. She heard the spell and dove to the side, the spell instead blasting a huge hole in the crate. There was an animal-like scream of fury, and a large, grayish-purple beast exploded out of the crate, waving two huge and sharp horns atop its head and bellowing. Alexis dimly recognized it as a Graphon as it charged straight at the man who had blown a whole in the crate, trampling him under foot as it stampeded with wild confusion into the fray of chaos, rumbling towards a blasted opening in the warehouse.

Alexis pulled herself up along another crate, shaking her head in surprise as she watched it go. "It had a bit of cabin fever I guess..."

She gritted her teeth and pulled herself up on top of the crate, looking out over the chaotic scramble of humans, bubbles, and isolated fires. Several different animals were racing about the complex, taking out anything it their way. She saw Erica hiding behind one crate and busily making more explosives as Vicky kept up a steady cover fire of unpoppable bubbles at the six or so remaining assailants. But Severus was nowhere to be found, and Alexis could already hear the back-up bad-guy crew approaching.

"Well, this was a beautiful disaster." Alexis grumbled, looking towards one enormous crate where growls and squeals erupted. Her breath hitched in her throat and her eyes widened in fearful shock as a glimpse of the huge beast inside bucked about. But it wasn't the beast that frightened her, but the dark haired, pale faced man it was tossing around like a rag doll.

---------------------------------

Severus threw a series of spells ahead of him through the wall of bubbles. He saw his desired target fall and he moved though the bubbles. His side was killing him in that 'you-broke-something-you-idiot' kind of fashion. He moved out of the way as a wayward bat flew towards him, thrown by one of the fools trying to put themselves out from Erica's fire. Vicky Adkins on the other hand, was laughing like a bloody maniac, shooting an enormous wall of bubbles.

"Kids." He said to himself as he was bashed in the back with something hard. He felt to the floor, coughing as he tried to regain his breath. He felt himself being flipped over and he kicked his foot up and caught his assailant in the groin. Severus winced in pain and shakily got to his feet, hearing Alexis yell at him loudly.

"YOU ASS!"

"She knows." He thought grimly as he figured she had tried to use her flame powers and failed. Well, he'd get his ass kicked by her later. He stunned the groaning man behind him, fighting to ignore the screaming pain in his back as he turned to face his next assailant.

He was back handed by a large fist and he stumbled back, seeing a man who towered him by at least a foot. Severus stood up, holding his wand in one hand and clenching his other hand in a fist. A bottle fell past his head and he ducked as it hit a crate behind him. The blast made him stumble once more and he doubted if he would be able to keep up with all this chaos. An iron pole flew to his feet and he picked it up with his other hand, hating being unarmed. He raised it up and looked at the beast of a man in front of him. The man looked at him with a smug smirk and then his face changed to one of fear as he lowered his bat, backing up slowly.

Severus felt smug, thinking the man had backed away because of him. That was until Severus felt a presence behind him and his hair was moved by a wind above him that smelled foul. Severus slowly turned around, inch by inch, until he found himself face to face with a large, upset, male Tebo.

"Oh shit..." Severus hissed as he watched this beast toss his head and Severus felt himself being tossed into the air like a rag doll.

The warthog-like beast's tusks tore into his side and he yelled in pain as he was thrown against a wall. The beast came at him again and tucked its head, throwing him at yet another wall. Severus saw it coming very fast and he knew that this was going to hurt. The last thing he saw was the grain of the wood as his head made contact with the solid wall of the crate.

-------------------------------

Alexis jumped off of the crate that was her vantage, shoving back her pains and sprinting towards the Tebo crate. The only comprehensible thoughts in her head were that Severus was in trouble, and she had to save him. Everything else was of secondary importance. It wouldn't do to have him die on her watch.

She slowed as she approached the blasted apart crate, seeing the Tebo flipping its tusked head in agitation, stamping its saucer sized hooved-feet impatiently as its beady eyes stared at the human slumped against a wall. Even as she watched, it disappeared, reappearing as it lifted Severus in the air and throwing him into the opposite wall. Severus slumped to the ground, unmoving as the beast reared, snorting angrily.

"Okay Alexis, you majored in classes like this... no problem... a giant warthog with the ability to disappear at will. I can take it..." Alexis told herself with a wavering voice, taking a deep breath before running up into the crate.

She stepped in front of the prone Severus, holding out her hands as she spoke calmly. "Okay piggy, nice piggy... don't hurt the little human okay?"

The Tebo snorted, stamping its feet angrily once again, and Alexis didn't think it was in the mood to talk right at the moment. It vanished in a shimmer and Alexis tensed, trying to predict where it would appear next. She heard the thundering clops of its hooves and jumped to the side as the wall splintered behind her by two huge ivory tusks.

It reappeared and backed up, pulling part of the wall with it on its tusks as it turned in the partly demolished crate, narrowly avoiding stepping on Severus as it ran at Alexis with all its animal fury. Alexis backed up a step, and then as it lowered its head, jumped forward and under its legs, scrambling out towards Severus. She stood and was hit by its back leg as it turned, throwing her into the nearest wall with a solid thud.

She slid to the floor, head spinning painfully. She fought back the dizziness though as she grabbed Severus and attempted to pull him out towards the blasted entrance of the giant crate. The Tebo turned around, squealing loud enough to deafen her and stomping chips in the ground as it tried to rush at her again.

Alexis dropped Severus and turned, shooting out her hands and grabbing the beast by its large tusks, bracing with her feet. It pushed her back a few feet, but she gritted her teeth and yanked its head to the side, making it lower itself slightly and halt in confusion. She trembled with the pained exertion of holding it at bay, and heard Severus groaning behind her.

She growled out through clenched teeth, sweat on her brow. "Get... out of here... Severus..."

She heard nothing and risked a glance behind her, seeing Severus looking at her in dazed confusion from his position on the floor.

She grit her teeth, and then hollered angrily. "Get the fuck out of here you idiot!"

Severus snapped partially out of his trance of watching her and turned, trying to crawl out of the crate.

"Looks like you could use a little help girl..." Alexis heard Erica's voice, and the Tebo struggled to rise to its feet, but Alexis bore down on the tusks, lowering it painstakingly to the floor. But she knew she couldn't hold on to it much longer, her wrist was already giving out and her shoulders and back were yelling at her in their language of pain.

"NO! Grab Severus and get him away!" Alexis yelled as she slid back another foot. Erica seemed confused as she protested. "You sure-"  
"Get him out!" Alexis hollered angrily, and the Tebo snorted, disappearing once or twice, but Alexis kept her shaky grip. She gave Erica a few minutes to get Severus out, and then drew in a breath as she tensed for her next stunt. She stepped forward and let up her pressure on holding the huge beast, and it jerked its head up, Alexis keeping her grip on its horns. Her arms felt as if they were almost yanked out their sockets, but she kept hold as she dangled in front of the giant warthog's nose.

She growled at the pig through gritted teeth. "Time to go..."

She then kicked out hard, hitting it squarely between the eyes. She swore the Tebo went cross eyed as it stumbled, and Alexis jumped away as it crashed in a daze to the floor. She rolled painfully out of the crate, then shakily drew her wand and breathlessly cast a charm that fixed the crate, caging the beast once again. She slumped back on her knees, breathing raggedly and looking to her side, seeing Erica standing there over Severus. Vicky ran up, yanking something out of her pocket.

"There's about fifteen more dudes coming, so we've gotta get out of here! Grab a hold of this; it's a portkey to your apartment." Vicky ordered breathlessly, holding out a glove. Alexis didn't argue as she grabbed the front of Severus's shirt with one hand and the portkey with the other. She felt the familiar yank behind her navel as the world spun around them, and she almost felt as if she were going to be sick from it as the magical device transported them to safety.

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Severus awoke wanting to die. He groaned in pain as he reached for his aching side. Bringing his hand up to his face, he could see his own blood on his hand.

_Blood.. Pain... Dying... Damnit..._ Severus thought incoherently, unable to grab a hold of thoughts as they rushed past. His body hurt so bad, the pain was murderous. He heard someone speak to him and he looked up to see something that could not exist.

Alexis was braced, holding what looked to be a two toned Tebo by the tusks at bay. He looked at her in confusion, trying to figure out was going on. She hollered at him angrily and frantically.

"Get the fuck out of here you idiot!" He heard her and he partially registered that he was not safe and needed to get out of here. He turned and began to crawl as fast and as carefully as he could, his body screaming at him as he struggled to pull himself to safety. He watched as a pair of neon orange boots appeared before him, accompanied by a voice.

"Looks like you could use a little help girl..."

He registered the voice as familiar and not addressing him so he continued his pain filled exodus. He heard more yelling, but ignored it as he viewed the end of the box he found himself in coming closer with each movement.

Suddenly someone grabbed his arms and yanked back hard, making him yell out in pain as he was being dragged out of the box. His side screamed in pain and he almost passed out from the pain. He felt the blood from his side seeping out of him.

The dragging ceased and Severus laid on his back, looking up at a woman who seemed to glare at him. She was talking to another woman beside her, who was looking the direction he had just been dragged from. He felt her touch his side and he yelped in back, thrusting himself away from the contact. The woman who was looking the other direction caught Severus's attention as he pulled something out of her pocket. He heard them speaking amongst themselves, but he was in so much pain that listening even hurt. He wished that he would just roll over and die. Suddenly he felt his chest being grabbed and Alexis was holding his shirt.

The next instant Severus wanted to die, puke, and scream all at once, but did none as he was portkeyed away from wherever he had been. They thudded to the ground and Severus exhaled in pain, biting his lip to take his mind of his wounds. He looked up at the familiar ugly yellow-white ceiling and sighed, his head lulling back as he passed out from blood loss.

* * *

**On to Part II  
Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as we did writing it...  
_Deep Shadows_**


	11. Homeward Bound Hopefully 9 Part 2

**The Mission From Hell  
****Chapter 9 Part II  
****"Homeward Bound... Hopefully..."  
**By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker  
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**Author's Notes:** After a fight like that and torture of such kinds how will the beaten and barely alive duo recover from their wounds... In ackward circumstances of course!

* * *

Alexis sat on the floor of the familiar apartment, breathing raggedly as she willed her head to stop spinning and her stomach to slow down on the flip flops. She hated portkeys with a passion. She pulled herself to her feet shakily, biting her lip from the pain it caused, and looked at the two girls who stood there, breathing heavily and staring at her and Severus.

Alexis looked down at Severus, who had passed out and was bleeding from unseen wounds onto the carpet. In her exhausted frustration, she yelled at him, though knowing he couldn't hear you. "Come on! You're bleeding all over the carpet... I'm not going to pay for all the stupid damage."

Vicky leaned in to Erica and whispered, though Alexis still caught what she said. "You sure we should leave them two together?"  
Alexis growled at them through shallow breaths. "Yes. Thanks for the help, but you both need to leave before something bad happens, again. We'll be fine."

Erica looked slightly worried as she spoke, looking at her and then at Severus. "I don't know, you both are pretty beaten up... we can hel-"

"You're don't exactly look like peaches and cream either. Go. I have it all under control." Alexis snapped, glaring at them slightly, though not with anger but sternness. She was still coherent enough to know that if she and Severus were to be seen with the two girls, nothing would stop the entire American wizarding Black Market from tracking them down. She also knew their stalkers would be back in no time to presume their watch on them, and they couldn't risk the girls or themselves being caught, not in this state.

Vicky frowned, and then nodded slowly. "Alright... then we'll just be going. Um... call if anything goes wrong."

Erica nodded in agreement, and both girls slowly backed out of the room, watching Alexis warily the entire time. Alexis waved at them to finally leave as they slowly closed the door. As soon as the door clicked, Alexis slumped to her knees, breathing shallowly from her pains. She wearily looked over at Severus and sighed. There was no way she could get him in the car for the hospital in her own state, and there was no phone in the apartment either, why the extra bill? Besides, the doctors were Muggles; they sucked in the area of medicine. So, it was up to her, and she knew it was going to be a very long night.

She bit back her whimpers as she pushed herself to her feet, stumbling over to Severus and leaning down, lifting him under the shoulders. She drew in a deep breath and lifted him partially as she quickly dragged him to the bedroom, biting her lip till she tasted blood.

She pushed all the blankets and pillows off of the bed in the bedroom, then managed to roll him onto it, where he lay pale and unmoving, breathing in quick shallow breaths. She sat on the bed, trying to catch her breath and wondering aloud. "Well... the easy part, is over with..."

She pulled off her half torn bandanna and stripped off her jacket and boots, throwing them from her carelessly as she turned and surveyed Severus. She saw several tears in his jacket where blood was seeping through, and knew that the wounds had to be pretty serious.

She sighed, looking up at the ceiling and whispering. "Why me..."

She then shook her head, scooting beside Severus and carefully unbuckling all the buckles on his jacket. She maneuvered it off of him carefully, and then proceeded to remove his bloodstained shirt, pushing back the thought off how this was _so_ wrong. Now chest bared, she saw the gaping wound on his one side, and another puncture wound slightly under his back. The rest of his bare skin was quickly bruising dark purple, looking like he was used as a punching bag, and she knew he had to have had a few broken ribs. But first protocol was stopping the bleeding and healing the open wounds. Which meant salves and potions.

She painfully got off the bed, finding herself quickly growing stiff and sore, but knowing she'd have to wait till later to heal herself. She knelt down by the dresser, going through several of his drawers and coming up with only three bottles of salves and a flask of some potion. She then gulped and turned to the 'Forbidden Drawer', which held his boxers and god knows what else.

"I have no other choice... I'm going in..." Alexis grumbled to herself, opening the drawer slowly. She frowned though, finding only two pairs of boxers and the rest only bottles of different salves and potions.

"The little ass..."Alexis growled at his ploy as she grabbed an armful. She limped back towards the bed, setting them down and retrieving bandages, gauze and some wet washcloths from the bathroom.

Sitting next to him on the bed, she quickly put pressure on the bleeding wound on his side, his only reaction a slight shifting and small wince. She looked through the different bottles of salves as she held the cloth to his side, finding one that looked like it would work and quickly removing the clothe and spreading some over the large laceration very gently. She noticed his head was bleeding, so she cleaned that and smeared some healing salve over the open cut, using a different bottle of the salve to rid of the swelling and bruising. That finished, she rolled him slightly on his less injured side with some painful difficulty and dressed the wound on his back, cleaning some of the blood off of the bed with some spare cloth.

The major problems now fixed to her best knowledge, she cleaned off the dried blood with the washcloths, making sure to be as careful as possible.

She found the salve that he had once used on her broken ribs, but stopped as a thought came to her tired mind. "Uh oh... I don't have the incantation to fix broken bones."

She got off the bed, rifling through his drawers once again, then through his pretty empty suitcase, but only succeeded in finding some more salves and a flask of what was labeled as some kind of poison, the handwritten caption under it reading, 'Just In Case'.

Alexis looked at the unconscious man and spoke with confusion. "You are one screwed up bastard you know..."

She put that aside so she wouldn't accidentally use it or something, and rummaged through the desk drawers, but there was no sign of an incantation written down at all. She eased herself onto the bed once more, shaking her head with a frown. "Sorry dude, but until you wake up, you're going to have to stay broken."

She looked at the injured man with hopelessness, wondering what else she could do. She read through the salves again and picked out one that looked alright, turning and sighing at him. "I guess I can try to get rid of some of your bruising..."

She leaned over him and took some salve, then gently and slowly started rubbing it around the major wounds and along his chest, trying to use only light pressure. She shook her head as she grumbled during her work. "You know this is mostly your bloody fault... you don't just stand there while a giant pig is tearing you to pieces! What the hell were you thinking!"

She sighed, turning him over as gently as possible, having to try several times with her injured wrist before succeeding, and then rubbing his bruised shoulders with the salve using mostly her uninjured hand, watching the swelling go down and marks fade on Severus's back.

"Sometimes I think you do this kind of stuff just to spite me... I wouldn't put it past you. And why the hell am I even talking to you? You can't even hear me! God, its times like this when I need a drink..." Alexis continued to grumble, massaging Severus's shoulders and healing all the bruising and torn muscles she could. She sighed, finally finishing the massage and looked at the clock with tired eyes, the harsh red lettering now reading 5:47 AM.

She sat back tiredly, though winced as her back hit the wall behind the bed. She remembered faintly her encounter with the baseball bat and grimaced, slowly sliding off the bed. She stumbled to the bathroom, stopping in front of the mirror and looking at herself.

"Girl, you look like shit..." She told herself, touching her eye which was for some reason turning black with bruising. She stopped though, seeing her wrist swollen and discolored, and just then realized the pain it had been sending her the whole time while she was distracted fixing Severus.

She groaned and found an ace bandage, sloppily bandaging it for the meantime, then dousing her face with cold water to wake herself up. She couldn't go to sleep just yet, not until she was sure Severus would wake up and be alright. He didn't have to be bouncing up and down, just well enough so he wouldn't die. She just hoped that was soon.

She attempted to change shirts, but gasped as the material rubbed over her back near her side, the skin burning and stinging her enough it brought tears to her eyes and she hitched her breath. She looked with a wince, seeing the skin slightly blackened and chafed red, and the marks of a two pronged instrument.

"I'm going to petition for cattle prods to be forbidden..." Alexis growled painfully, slowly lowering her shirt and deciding she could wait a little while longer before she risked changing. She limped back to the bed feeling lightheaded, and pulled a light blanket over the unconscious Severus, who seemed to be breathing a little better and not so pale looking.

She slid onto the bed beside him, propping the fluffiest pillow behind her aching back and leaning against it slowly. She sighed, looking at Severus distractedly as she forced herself back away from the blissful oblivion of sleep that so beckoned to her.

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Severus looked at the ceiling, his mind returning to that place called reality for a moment.

_Am I dead?..._ He thought for a moment, and then he inhaled, pain lancing through his side and he knew that he was not dead, but in fact, far from it and closer still. He breathed shallowly, trying to figure out where he was. Was he captured, or had they escaped? He looked at the ceiling once more and noticed the yellow color and knew he was back at the apartment.

_Damn... What attacked me?..._ He asked himself as he felt another near debilitating pain shot through his side. He winced in the pain, closing his eyes as he forced himself to breath shallowly.

He knew he needed to assess his injuries and dress and care for them, but he hurt too damn much.

_I've got to get up... I've got to move... _He told himself, looking up as he willed himself to sit up. The willing part wasn't working much. He lifted his arm warily, feeling his now bare side and he noticed the feel of bandages. He craned his head and saw that his wounds had already been dressed. He looked at his chest, which he guessed would be black and blue all over and it was amazingly pale as usual. He turned on his uninjured side, or less injured side, and witnessed a very beaten up looking Alexis sleeping propped up on a pillow.

_Ah... That explains it... She healed me but not herself, not very wise... God I hurt..._ Severus thought groggily as he grimaced.

_Damn it all... now I have to use the restroom..._ Severus thought, deciding how best to get up as he held himself up on his elbow, feeling sleep calling him once again. He had noticed that Alexis had woken up at his jerky movement.

She snapped her head up, eyes wide and slightly bloodshot as she yelled. "I wasn't asleep for no more than a minute!"

He looked at her oddly, deciding that he really needed to go. Severus watched as she smiled at him, speaking through a yawn as he began to force himself up, grimacing in the strain.

"You're awake. And not dead." She stated as he grinded his teeth together as he made it upright. It took him a minute to answer and when he did his voice was scratchy and sore.

"Dead... ha, I wish..." He groaned as he sat up very, very carefully, He had figured at least two ribs were broken, if not more.

A pain ripped though his side once more and he groaned aloud, holding his side. He felt the bandages and looked at them wondering how bad his wounds were. He looked all over himself, not seeing a single bruise and the incessant need to urinate growing stronger.

_I wonder how she managed to get me in here, let alone, dress my wounds..._ He thought as he looked at her questioningly.

"Did the best I can, but couldn't fix your ribs... don't know the incantation." She stated and he stared at her as if he didn't know what she was talking about. He couldn't seem to figure out why she wanted to save him. He shook his head as he braced himself to stand.

Alexis tried to quickly get up and help him, but stumbled and fell back against the wall and he heard her yelp and take shallower breaths as if she were in pain. He was feeling the pain too.

_The ministry owes us so much right now..._ He thought as he shook his head at her, trying to make his voice work.

"No, I doubt you could help. I can manage by myself." He told her, determined to get up and walk to the bathroom by himself. He didn't need her help, even if it would be nice, he didn't need it. He rose to his feet shakily, as if he had never walked before, his knees wanting to give out on him and he determinedly stumbled for the bathroom like a toddler walking for its mother. If he could get to the bathroom he would be fine. He made it to the bathroom by some fate, managing not to fall as he quickly relieved himself. He shivered in the cold as he turned, stumbling slowly out of the bathroom. He saw Alexis sitting on the bed, looking like death warmed over, but his vision had blurred as he had exerted so much energy getting to the bathroom. He felt like he could just fall to the floor and go to sleep forever.

_No, must make it to the bed..._ He told himself as he toppled over towards the bed. Getting to the side of it, he slowly and painfully eased himself upon it, sighing as he laid his head on the pillow and closing his eyes to fall asleep.

"Hold on, don't go back to sleep!" Alexis snapped him out of his sleep and he opened one eye at her, wondering what she wanted from him. He closed it after she didn't answer that second.

"Well, at least tell me the incantation then." Alexis grumbled at him and he looked at her for moment. _What incantation... Oh that one... Damn how does it go... Think, think think..._ He thought through his exhaustion, finally figuring out the incantation that would solve all his broken bones. He sighed, grabbing a piece of parchment and pen, willing his hand to stop shaking as he wrote it down for her.

Severus turned and handed Alexis the paper, looking at her with confusion and yet with a hint of utter gratitude. Hoping she got the message he laid back down and closed his eyes and that was all he saw as darkness overtook him.

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Alexis was jostled slightly, and she snapped her head up, eyes wide and slightly bloodshot as she yelled. "I wasn't asleep for no more than a minute!"

She shook her head roughly, vision slightly blurry as she looked beside her at Severus, who was slightly up on one elbow and staring at her in half asleep confusion. Alexis smiled dazedly, speaking through a yawn. "You're awake. And not dead."  
Severus didn't answer as he forced himself to sit up, gritting his teeth in pain as he eventually mumbled in a scratchy voice. "Dead... ha, I wish..."

Alexis pushed herself up from the backboard where she was propped, hissing in pain slightly, but ignoring it as she watched Severus sit up carefully, wondering if he was truly alright.

He held his side as he groaned, and then a look of confusion came over his face as he felt the bandages. He looked down at himself, seeing his wounds dressed and most of his bruising gone. He slowly looked up at Alexis with questioning and she yawned hugely again, explaining. "Did the best I can, but couldn't fix your ribs... don't know the incantation."

She looked at him tiredly as he continued to stare at her as if waiting for her to continue. Alexis frowned slightly. _Jeesh, he acts like I was going to let him die or something... _

He shook his head then and tensed to lift himself from the bed, and Alexis tried to quickly get up and help him, but stumbled and fell back against the wall. She yelped, clutching her wrist to herself and taking shallower breaths to ease the breathtaking pain from her back. She shook her head with grim determination, telling herself. _I'm fine... not nearly as bad as Severus was... quit being a wuss... _

She walked over to him, but he shook his head at her, speaking in a sore sounding voice. "No, I doubt you could help. I can manage by myself."

Alexis stopped, watching the stubborn dork rise shakily to his feet, and then proceed to stumbled towards the bathroom, stopping once or twice to catch his breath. Alexis sat once again on the bed, shaking her head as she glanced over at the clock once more. "4:34 in the afternoon... okay, I was asleep for three minutes... so shoot me..."

_Doesn't sound to bad right about now though..._ Alexis thought grimly, thinking maybe now she could finally sleep with Severus up. Her injuries could wait, she just wanted to _sleep._ If there was any way of dying from sleep deprivation, she was sure she was pretty close to it. Severus came out of the bathroom, looking like the walking dead as he stumbled over to the bed and eased himself into it, sighing as he lay down, closing his eyes.

"Hold on, don't go back to sleep!" Alexis snapped at him, but he merely cracked one eye at her with confusion, then closing it again once more.

_The little jerk..._ "Well, at least tell me the incantation then." Alexis grumbled at him. _This idiot better be grateful... but I guess I can stay awake a little while longer..._

Severus looked at her, seeming to debate with himself for a moment. He then sighed, reaching over to a nearby desk and grabbed a piece of paper, quickly writing the spell down. He handed it to her slowly, looking her in the eyes. Alexis stared back as she took it, and she saw a glint of slight confusion mixed with a sense of relief.

He then sighed wearily and closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep in less than a minute. She sighed, shaking her head as she looked at the incantation and scrambled for the right bottle of salve, the words on the labels blurring together in her exhaustion. After about the fifth bottle, she found the right one and scooted beside Severus, moving to turn him on his stomach. She whimpered softly as the movement strained her back, and she thought she felt Severus rolling over slightly himself, but wasn't sure.

She shook her head to rid of her blurring vision and fuzzy thoughts, and then proceeded to massage his back around his ribs while she chanted the incantation, going slowly at first as the bones healed back into place. He eventually started taking deeper breaths as his ribs healed, and she kneaded the soreness out of his muscles as he lay there limply.

She yawned as she finished the spell, drawing away from Severus after about a half hour of massaging, recapping the salve bottle clumsily. Her stomach then grumbled noisily and she found herself ravenous. She tossed the light blanket over the sleeping man and stumbled into the Kitchen, looking around tiredly for any type of food to satisfy her weak and beaten body. A simple answer to that lodged in her mind. _Cereal..._

She automatically grabbed the nearest thing that looked like a bowl and set it on the table, not realizing it was a pot. She squinted as she looked in the fridge, wavering slightly as she grabbed a carton of liquid, pouring it with a yawn into the pot. She then grabbed a bag on the counter that looked like cereal to her and poured some into the bowl as well. She plopped down wearily, lifting her spoon and taking a bite out of the concoction. She frowned, finding the cereal a little crunchy and the milk tasting sour. She stared hard at the bowl, and her vision cleared long enough for her to see chips floating in a pot full of orange juice.

She sighed tiredly, grumbling to herself. "It would figure..." She then shrugged, taking a few more bites, too tired and hungry to care about what it was. She half finished the bowl of chips and juice, and then stood up wobbly and almost fell over, but she righted herself and limped her way back to the bedroom, leaving the bowl, carton, and bag where they were.

She stood in the doorway of the bedroom and stared at the sleeping Severus wistfully, knowing that as soon as she sat down she would fall asleep as well. "Can't sleep yet... Severus's isn't up..." Alexis mumbled to herself. She told herself earlier that he wouldn't sleep until Severus was able to care for himself, and she was bent on keeping to her word.

So instead she leaned up against the dresser, crossing her arms and forcing herself to stay awake so she wouldn't fall and hurt herself further. So she stood slumped there for the better part of two hours, wisping in and out of a kind of catatonic trance as she willed herself to stay on her feet.

Eventually a blur of movement let her know that Severus was stirring once more. She watched hopefully as he groaned, though this time with a hint of relief, and stretched his arms.

_Well, it's only been about TWO DAYS... _Alexis thought dizzily to herself through a haze of pain and half sleep as she swayed a bit, and stumbled to keep her footing, the movement caused Severus to look up at her. His eyes widened in surprise, and he spoke carefully, though sounding muffled in her dim consciousness.

"You're actually still awake?"

Alexis smirked grimly. "Oh yeah. I'm the world class champion at staying up, didn't you know? Nothing can keep me down. Not any broken bone nor sore muscle, not any cut or bruise. I'm _invincible_." She hissed with a slightly slurred voice at his apparent ignorance.

He stared at her in confusion for a moment, sitting up in the bed as she rolled her eyes and explained with a stifled yawn. "I couldn't sleep without knowing if you were going to wake up or not."

He raised his eyebrow in slight surprise, moving to the edge of the bed. Alexis swayed again, no longer able to feel anything beside her pain and weariness, which was all that accompanied her world of consciousness.

"So, are you awake?" She asked slowly.

He was quiet for a moment as he looked himself over wonderingly, and then spoke slowly. "...Yeah..."

"Good. Are you alive?" She questioned again.

Severus looked up at her with slightly concerned confusion and answered carefully. "Yes."

"And can you walk?" She asked once again, a blackness tainting the outskirts of her vision.

"I'm pretty sure."

Alexis smiled almost druggedly as her ears buzzed with an odd noise and she mumbled. "Great. Now, good night..." Her legs then gave out and she crumpled to the floor, ignoring the screaming pain of her body as she lay on the floor on the edge of consciousness.

She dimly saw Severus's surprised face above hers and whispered before careening into unconsciousness. "_Now _we're even..."

------------------------------------

Severus awoke this time to considerably less pain. His thighs hurt and he felt sore, but the blessed part was that he could breathe. He groaned, stretching his arms in relief as he realized that he could move. He felt eyes on him and saw movement behind his eyelids and he looked at Alexis, seeing her swaying as she tried to lean against the dresser. His eyes widened in surprise upon seeing her, and he spoke carefully and curiously.

"You're actually still awake?"

She looked like she hadn't slept in days, having the tired soldier look about her and her reply only strengthened his worry.

"Oh yeah. I'm the world class champion at staying up, didn't you know? Nothing can keep me down. Not any broken bone nor sore muscle, not any cut or bruise. I'm _invincible_." She hissed as she smirked grimly with a slightly slurred voice. He now felt terrible that he had the chance to heal and she had sacrificed her relief for him.

_Why would she do that?... And for ME?..._ He thought as he looked at her with confusion as he sat up quickly, much to his delight and guilt. Alexis tried to hide her yawn as she spoke to him.

"I couldn't sleep without knowing if you were going to wake up or not." Her reply startled him as he raised an eyebrow at her, moving to the edge of the bed. She swayed almost drunkenly and he watched her intently.

"So, are you awake?" She asked him slowly and he thought, looking over himself. After assessing that he was awake he replied slowly, a bit worried about her.

"...Yeah..." He stated and she ranted off another question.

"Good. Are you alive?"

He looked at her with concern and answered her.

"Yes."

"And can you walk?" She asked him once again, and she looked like she was about to pass out on her feet.

"I'm pretty sure." He told her, tensing his leg muscles and sensing that though they were sore, they would work. What worried him was the near drugged smile she gave him as she mumbled.

"Great. Now, good night..."

As she spoke, it looked as if her knees gave out and Severus quickly dove to catch her as she plummeted to the floor, but didn't succeed. He looked down at her in surprise, wondering how much she had actually done for herself. She looked at him like she was drugged and whispered barely loud enough for him to hear her.

"_Now _we're even..." She spoke and he sighed, realizing this was all done for a debt, a debt he hadn't even considered she owed him, since when he had helped her, her injuries hadn't been _life_-threatening, as his had been. So in all technicalities, he owed her... but he didn't want to think about that just yet.

He shook his head as he groaned, picking Alexis up carefully and placing her on the bed. He shivered in the cold and hunted down a shirt as he looked at the beaten and bruised woman in front of him.

"Figures." He thought as he looked around the room, seeing vials and salves out over the dresser. He hunted down the bruise salve, which was scarily by his vial of asp's venom for his 'in case he is captured' situations.

"Wow, she went though my drawers... All of them..." He thought as he walked over to the bed, his knees aching fiercely. He noticed he was still in his thick black pants from the mission. Shaking his head he looked at Alexis, realizing that she was still in her mission clothes, minus the jacket, boots and other easily removables. Then he came to the revelation that he would have to remove her clothes to heal her again. He walked over to her, shaking her shoulder gently.

"Alexis... wake up for a moment..." Severus spoke and she grimaced at him.

"No mommy... I don't want any ice cream..." She moaned and Severus shook his head, shaking her again.

"Artimis, the cookies were out on the table, I swear, they told me to eat them..." Alexis replied with a slurred voice and Severus sighed, growling in his throat.

"Alexis, I need you to wake up so you can take your shirt off, so I can assess your wounds. Wake up." He told her and she shivered, groaning at him.

"You do it... You hunt down the cookie thief... I'm gonna just look at the colored dragons..." Alexis moaned and Severus, though knowing it would never hold up in any argument, took that as permission. He slowly lifted Alexis's arms, grabbing the bottom of her shirt and carefully removed it, trying not to hurt her.

He watched as her eyes closed tightly in pain as he lifted her up with one arm to get the shirt out from under her. He looked her over, seeing that she was bruised all over, even in areas he was_ never_ going to heal.

"Sorry Alexis, some parts of you are just gonna remain bruised." He stated, uncapping the salve and kneeling by the bed. He carefully began to rub her stomach, pushing aside all thoughts of how wrong this was. He watched as the bruising began to subside and he knew that she could be eased over on her stomach so he could get her back. He tucked his hand under her back and she yelped in pain in her sleep and he removed his hand quickly, instead rolling her over by her other side. When she was on her stomach he gasped in horror as the faint scent of burnt flesh hit his nose.

"What the hell did they hit you with! A lightning bolt?" He asked with astonishment as he noticed the two charred burn marks on her back. The skin around the wounds was black and deathly looking and he had to wonder how she was able to stay awake like that.

"This calls for burn salve." He stated worriedly, getting up and walking over toward the mountain of healing salves. He fished the red burn salve out and walked back over to the bed, shaking his head. This should have been seen to long before his broken ribs, long before his bruises. She could have died from whatever it was that had hit her.

He eased himself on the bed beside her, carefully prodding the site, seeing Alexis's whole back tense up. _This is going to be painful..._ He thought as he began to rub the salve into the site, Alexis moaning and hissing in her pained sleep. He was thankful that she was sleeping or else she might not have remained this still. He watched as the skin began to heal, but he knew it would take a few applications before her back was any sense of normal. He healed her bruises on her back, seeing that she too had taken a hit to the back with a bat.

"Bloody barbarians..." He thought aloud as her back turned to some form of normal. He sighed, setting the bottle of salve near her left hand. Then he actually looked at her hand, seeing a sloppy bandage on it, yet another injury to add to her list.

"Good lord... What all did they do to you?" He snarled, taking and carefully unwrapping her wrist, then seeing the deep bruising that was shaped in a chain-like fashion around her wrist and upper forearm. He took out the salve and began to rub her wrist, realizing that she had broken a bone in her wrist.

"Bloody woman, trying to fix someone when she is more beat up..." He thought aloud with a stern growl as he shook his head, beginning the chant to heal her broken wrist. She grimaced as he touched the bone but after a moment she was silent and seeming to sleep more peacefully. He stood up, looking to see if he had missed any place that was in his realm of touching. He grimaced as he viewed the now brown mark on her back, wondering what had caused it.

"Enough thinking. I need food or else I'm not going to be much good to anyone." He thought as he headed out to the kitchen.

He noticed their was a pot on the table and he looked in it, seeing what it was Alexis had tried to cook. What he found disturbed him. There were chips floating in orange juice, a spoon sunken in the pot, as if she were eating cereal.

"Wow, she must have been exhausted... I want soup." He thought as he began to clean up the mess. He finished the cleaning and started on the soup, making some for Alexis as well. If chips and juice were all that she had, she was going to be starving when she woke up.

He placed the pot on the stove and set it on low as he turned back to the bedroom. He walked to the bed and grabbed the burn salve, adding another application to her back. After he was done it now only looked like sunburn, not a fire mark. Nodding in approval of his work he headed back out the kitchen, where the soup was done. He made himself a bowl and wolfed it down with the hunger of a beast. He didn't even know he had been that hungry. He made Alexis a bowl and walked back into the bedroom.

"Alexis... Food... Don't make me have to feed you..." Severus told her and she groaned at him, making him wondering how long she was going to sleep, it had already been about half a day.

"Alexis, please get up?" He asked and Alexis did not stir. He rolled her over gently, shaking his head as he did so. She lay on her back, not stirring at all as she breathed deeply and slowly. He grabbed her face in his hand and opened her eye with his other hand.

"Alexis?" He asked and all he saw was sleep. Deciding that she needed it more than food, he set her head back down and headed to the bathroom, needing a shower.

When he came out, Alexis was still dead asleep, having not even moved from where he had left her. He sighed, changing into some pajamas and walking over to his side of the bed. Then he noticed the bloodstains that must have come from him. He sighed in defeat and proceeded to change the bed sheet, picking Alexis up as he needed to get it out from under her. He put another sheet on and shook his head as he applied another application to Alexis's back, it now only a large red spot on her back.

Severus, now exhausted and worried, sat down on the bed, covering Alexis up. He leaned against the headboard as he waited for her to wake up, fighting back sleep with a proverbial iron pot. He watched her breathing slow and deep, realizing that if it had not been for her, his supposed bane, that he would have died.

He owed her something he couldn't just tell her he owed her. No, now she had a life debt over him, and she would never know. But when the time came he would save her life, just as she had saved his. With these thoughts, Severus laid his head back on the headboard, staring at the ugly yellow ceiling, unknowingly drifting off to sleep.

--------------------------------------

All Alexis felt for the longest time was pain, though not even that was going to keep her from getting the sleep her body had been starving for ever since they had arrived back at the apartment. Though, when she finally awoke, expecting to be barraged with lances of agony and throbbing soreness, all she felt was a dull ache. And even that was comforted by the warm blanket draped over her. _Dude... I guess I was wrong when I said chocolate's better than any sleep... don't think chocolate can do this..._ She thought, yawning as she opened her eyes, vision slightly fuzzy.

"Back to join the living I see. About time." She heard a familiar voice speak quietly as she looked up beside her to see Severus sitting against the headboard on the bed.

"Huh?" Was all she could say as she tensed to push herself up, but was surprised when no pain assaulted her from her back.

"You've been sleeping for almost two days. Are you finally going to wake up?" Severus spoke, glaring at her, but without his usual disgruntled hatred. She could've sworn it was quite the opposite; he actually seemed a bit relieved.

_But why? That I'm awake? You would've thought he'd be in his glory with me out of his hair..._ Alexis thought as she sat up. The blankets fell off her, and she shivered at the cold. Glancing down, she realized what was really making her cold. Her eyes widened as she snatched the blanket back, covering her shirtless self, having been only scarcely clothed.

She glared daggers at Severus, about to yell something when he cut her off quickly. "I asked your permission already."

Alexis snapped her mouth closed in confusion, and then asked warily. "I gave you my permission to _undress_ me? In what dimension was this?"  
Severus rolled his eyes as he explained. "It was after you passed out. I woke you up enough to ask. I couldn't very well heal you fully dressed, posed a bit of a problem. Another shirt's right there." He spoke quietly, pointing at it on the nearby table.

Alexis sat still for a moment, staring at him in confusion. _He healed me? Huh?_ She reached and grabbed her shirt then, Severus looking away for the moment as Alexis pulled off the blanket. She surveyed herself, seeing herself free of bruises and a light bandage on her back. Otherwise she was perfectly fine. She pulled over her shirt carefully, shaking her head in astonishment.

_He really did fix me... though he didn't need to... _She thought, but then her 'other' voice added in indignantly. _Well, you didn't have to fix him either, but you did._

She shook her head. _Still, that was because I couldn't well let him die... and I owed him. _

The other voice laughed at her. _Well, what do you think he was doing genius?_

Alexis frowned at herself. He didn't owe her anything... did he? But she then guessed that he felt he needed to fix her up so he wouldn't get reamed out so bad when they returned home. She was just going to stick with that one.

"And what the hell did they hit you with?" Severus's wondering voice broke through her reverie suddenly. She turned to see him looking at her with confusion.

She frowned with question. "Hit me with? Who?"

"Your back! What was that?" He asked again, looking anxious to know as he sat there on the bed watching her.

Alexis paled, remembering suddenly. She spoke softly in reply. "Oh... that. It was an electric cattle prod."

Severus stared at her in surprise for a minute, and Alexis didn't think he understood. "It's like a taser..."  
"I know what it is. Like a miniature dragon prod. Damn barbarians..." She heard Severus growl with a look of anger, and Alexis was a bit taken aback.

"What was that?" She asked, not sure if she had heard him right.

Severus looked at her, then shook his head and spoke gruffly. "Nothing. Are you going to get up? You need to take a shower and start packing so we can leave."

Alexis smiled widely at that statement. _HOME! My own bed! Heat! Ron! YAY!_

She scooted to the edge of the bed, but was halted as Severus snapped. "Hold on a minute. You're going to eat first. Your soup's right there, I warmed it up not too long ago."

Alexis stopped, turning to look at him with surprise. He didn't meet her gaze as he stood off the bed, straightening his shirt with dignity and pretending to look busy.

Alexis smirked to herself as she lay back against the headboard, taking the bowl of soup and eating it thoughtfully as she looked up at Severus. He saw her and nodded in approval, then leaving the room towards the Kitchen. Alexis shook her head as she smiled.

----------------------------

Severus found himself sleeping once again, having applied the last application to Alexis's back. He stirred when he felt her move beside him.

_Is she awake? Or just having another nightmare?... It's been over a day that she's been out..._ He thought as he lifted his head, looking at her hopefully. Her eyes were still closed, but he sensed that she was awake. That was confirmed by a yawn and the opening of her eyes.

"Back to join the living I see. About time." He grumbled at her, trying very hard to sound upset, angered, hell even disappointed would work, but all that came out was quiet concern.

_Severus, you can't be NICE to her... She's your bane... You aren't, WEREN'T, worried... Just upset that you had to baby-sit her... Yeah..._ He told himself as he braced himself against the backboard.

"Huh?" Alexis replied and he watched smugly as she acted surprised that she could painlessly move.

_Glare... That's intimidating... _He thought hopelessly as he replied.

"You've been sleeping for almost more than a day. Are you finally going to wake up?" Severus stated, trying to glare at her, but not feeling the anger, seeing as he was now relieved that she was awake and seemingly well. She seemed to be deep in thought as she sat up. He shook his head as the blankets fell off her and she shivered.

Severus braced with the onslaught of the yells as Alexis realized that she was near half naked, snatching the blankets up around her, as if he were looking. She turned her head, glaring daggers into him and he cut her off before she began to yell.

"I asked your permission already." He told her, knowing that it was true, yet at the same time it was false, for she wasn't really aware of the world. He watched as she snapped her mouth closed in confusion, asking warily.

"I gave you my permission to _undress_ me? In what dimension was this?" She exclaimed, shaking his head as he rolled his eyes.

_Do I have to explain everything?..._ He thought as he began to speak.

"It was after you passed out. I woke you up enough to ask. I couldn't very well heal you fully dressed, posed a bit of a problem. Another shirt's right there." He told her as he pointed to a clean shirt sitting on the bedside table, next to the salves and her soup, which he had warmed about a half an hour ago.

Alexis sat there, looking at him in utter confusion, as if she expected him to not care for her. Her injuries. That is...

He turned his head out of respect as she grabbed the shirt, dressing herself. He waited patiently as she was silent. He turned just in time to see a glimmer of the bandage on her back and the reminded him that he wanted to know what they had hit her with. Seeing that she was deep in thought he decided to ask.

"And what the hell did they hit you with?" Severus asked wonderingly and she turned to look at him with confusion.

"Hit me with? Who?" She asked him warily and he looked at her if she was crazy.

"Your back! What was that?" He asked again urgently, feeling anxious with the want to know as he sat there on the bed watching her carefully.

He watched as the color left her face and she seemed to recall an event that bothered her.

"Oh... that. It was an electric cattle prod." She replied softly and he couldn't believe his ears.

_A cattle prod... The bloody muggle contraption that wizards based Dragon prods off of... That is just wrong..._ He thought as he stared at her. She must have thought his staring meant he did not understand as she tried to explain the concept to him.

"It's like a taser..." She began and he stopped her.  
"I know what it is. Like a miniature dragon prod. Damn barbarians..."He growled in his throat, feeling enraged that one human being could do that to another human being. Alexis must have sensed his anger, because she drew back warily.

"What was that?" She asked him with wonder and he decided to not further incriminate himself with the fact that he was concerned. He shook his head, trying to make himself feel mean as he tried to bark a reply at her.

"Nothing. Are you going to get up? You need to take a shower and start packing so we can leave."

He watched as she smirked with the realization that they were going home. Severus on the other hand, really didn't want to go _home_ but wanted to remain somewhere safe, away from Alexis, and most of all, her husband Ron. He watched Alexis as she went to get out of bed and he stopped her, realizing that all she still had in her system was chips and orange juice.

"Hold on a minute. You're going to eat first. Your soup's right there, I warmed it up not too long ago." He told her and she looked at him with surprise. He didn't look her in the eyes, knowing that his had a way of letting others know when he cared and when he didn't.

He got out of the bed, fixing himself in a dignified manner as he looked for something to do. He walked over to the dresser and began to pull out his shirts, preparing to pack them. He turned to make sure Alexis was eating and she was indeed. She looked up at him and he nodded in approval of her eating and he then headed to the kitchen for some food himself, seeing as he now was hungry.

He made himself a sandwich and then went back to the bedroom, seeing that Alexis had gotten up to take a shower.

He sighed as he grabbed his suitcase, packing his clothes neatly in it. He placed all his potions and salves in their placed in the false bottom of his suitcase, magically hiding them from muggle prying eyes. He made sure he had everything he brought with him, all the while taking occasional bites of his sandwich.

He carried his suitcase to the living room, dropping it on the couch, shaking his head as it sunk in. Just then Alexis burst out of the room, looking frantic, diving for his bag.

"Do you have them! Please tell me you have them!" She yelped at him and he looked at her like she was nuts.

"What?" He asked and she tore open his bag, proceeding to rummage thought his neatly folded clothes, making it look like a clothes hamper.

"My nunchucks! Do you have them? Please say you do and are hiding them on me..." She whined and he shook his head, taking his bag away from her, holding back his anger.

"No, I don't have your nunchucks. Check your bags and your clothes. I haven't seen them." He stated as he tried to refold his clothes.

"We _have_ to find them! I looked everywhere!" Alexis hissed with desperation and Severus snorted.

"Everywhere? Really... Where was the last place you saw them?" He asked and Alexis stopped, thinking hard. Then she began to silently sob, sitting back on her knees despairingly.

"At the warehouse..." She cried and Severus looked at her with incredulity.

"Well, then I'm not going back for them." He hissed, closing his bag after he managed to fix most of the damage.

"But we have too!" She wailed and he shook his head.

"Alexis, they are just nunchucks, you can get another pair in London." He told her and she cried, glaring at him.

"Those aren't just nunchucks; they are my _mother's_ nunchucks!" Alexis whined and he shook his head.

"Alexis ok, I understand now your panic, but we just spent the last week almost healing from our last visit down there. Do you honestly want to spend another week in this blasted country? I don't." He stated and Alexis shook her head, tears glistening lightly on her cheeks. She stood shakily and trudged over to the heater, obviously to kick it. She lifted her foot and kicked it solidly, taking her anger out on it. Severus turned his back to her and shook his head.

Then she was silent. "Severus?" She whispered after a minute and he turned around, wondering what now. She was holding up a brown plug with a shocked look on her face.

"What is that?" He questioned and she glared, clenching the plug in her fist.

"A plug." She growled angrily and he sighed.

"To what?" He asked her, and then following it with his eyes and seeing it lead up to the heater. She didn't even have to tell him what it was for.

"I HATE THIS PLACE! Damn it... Where was that at?" He yelled and Alexis pointed to an inch between the wall and the unit. He snarled as she plugged it in and it began to make noise. Alexis stood in front of it and shook her head in disbelief, turning to look at him.

"It's warm." She stated and he growled, walking over and kicking it for good measure.

"Get your bags... We're going home." He barked, now angry.

Alexis stalked back into the bedroom, and Severus sighed, glancing at the television that was on and muted. It was the news station, and the picture shown was that of the warehouse. Interested, he turned it up, the reporter speaking into his microphone.

"-a long operating ring of black market criminals have finally been caught. In the process of transporting endangered and valuable animals to sources in Britain, an event occurred that left this warehouse in shambles and freed most of the wildlife into the surrounding neighborhoods, which alerted officers to this scam. Attempts to recapture all these animals were successful, and all of the persecutors were apprehended. Details are still fuzzy on what had resulted in this ring being busted, though there is talk of an undercover team that had been on the case. The agency from which this team was sent from hasn't been disclosed yet, but whoever they are, we hope they know they were successful and are appreciated. More on the story at eleven. Back to you Stacy-"

Severus turned off the station, shaking his head.

"Hey, that was about us wasn't it? You'd think the damn Ministry would cover it up about us better... idiots..." He heard Alexis yell from the bedroom, and he smirked as he gathered his things, finally feeling as if they had accomplished something.

After about thirty minutes, they were ready to go, ready to leave this bloody place and all its bad memories. Severus drove to the airport, a knot of nervousness in his stomach as he held his vial of sleeping potion tightly. They got on the plane and Severus downed it, sleeping thought all 12 hours of the flight.

They got out to Alexis's jeep, which she spent twenty minutes talking to and then they finally headed home, Alexis driving this time, seeing as the potion hadn't quite worn all the way off.

By the time Manor Dela Loyalty came into view, Severus was awake, alert, and prepared to die. They got out, bags in hand. Walking up the front door, Severus braced for the worst. They both walked in the front door and before they could say a word, they saw a bright flash of light and the quick shout of, _"Immobilus!"_

* * *

**Uh oh, looks like Sev and Lex have walked from one problem to another...  
What will happen now?  
Toodles,  
_Deep Shadows_**


	12. What A 'Welcome Home' 10 Part 1

**The Mission From Hell  
Chapter 10  
"What a _'Welcome Home'_"**  
By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker

---------------------------------------------

**Author's Notes: **This is the Next to the last chapter... Your going to hate us...PS: Thanks CaptianRose...

------------------------------------------------  
Alexis didn't even have time to admire the tiled floor before a flash of light blinded her and her whole body froze in place. She felt a swell of panic rise in her chest, though knowing that if anything were wrong, she was helpless to fix it.

But, that wasn't the case as her vision cleared and she looked to see Aaron Billord and Draco Malfoy pacing to and fro in front of her and the also paralyzed Severus, wands in hand. _Okaaayy... theatrics much... oh wait... did Erica and Vicky get to them too?_

Alexis thought; worry replacing the panic in her chest. Aaron stopped in front of her, looking her in the eyes, then sighed, shaking his head and continuing his pacing. Draco stopped; looking at them both, then also resumed his pacing. It was getting quite annoying.

Finally Draco stopped, sighing hugely. Aaron stopped beside him, and he and Draco looked at each other with knowing. Alexis glared as much as was possible for her, which wasn't much. _What are these idiots' problems! They afraid we're gonna go blow up the Ministry or something? That's not till after I unpack!_

Draco nodded at Aaron, and looked between Alexis and Severus. He sighed once more, and then a strange smirk came over his face. "We can't bear to keep it in any longer. Severus. Alexis. We have something to share with you."

Aaron stepped up, smirking also as he added. "Yes. I'm sure you remember when we assigned you this mission. Well, I'm positive you remember when you were told you both were going as a couple."  
He paused, looking at Draco, and Alexis had this feeling that everything was about to go horribly wrong. Draco looked at them, still holding his wand as he finished.

"I'll make this simple. I and Aaron planned for you two to be a couple on this mission. Originally it was supposed to be a father/daughter relationship, but we felt the need to spice things up. The Ministry had nothing to do with it; it was only our genius plan. And now, we're going to run. Welcome home." He spoke simply, smiled, and then he and Aaron spun on their heels and took off like their butts were on fire.

This was better for them, because Alexis knew that if she hadn't been paralyzed, she would've attacked them right there. Not to say she wasn't going to, no, but leaving her like that gave her time to simmer and let cold logic come into play about how she was going to go about torturing them.

_This whole month... everything that has happened... is all basically their fault. EVERYTHING. I can't believe it... _Alexis thought, internally trembling with the anger and shock contained in her paralyzed body. And she knew Severus was thinking on her same wavelength.

She wracked her brains for a way out of the jinx, preparing to sprint after them like a madman and tear them limb from limb, when Artimis sauntered into the foyer. She stopped in surprise as she spotted them, and Alexis thought hopefully that she would unjinx them and thus doom her husband and their Head Auror.

Instead, Artimis shook her head and tsked, crossing her arms and going to stand right in front of them, frowning as she scolded. "Look at you two, cursing each other as soon as you walk in the house. Can't even take the time out to let people know you're home or anything..."

------------------------

Artimis saw her husband run past her in a flash of fury and she was curious as to why. She was happy, excited even, because Alexis was coming home. Artimis's daughter, Selena, was happier about Severus returning. Artimis shook her head, walking out to the foyer to see if they had arrived yet. To her surprise, Alexis and Severus stood, frozen like, still holding their bags. Artimis realized that they had jinxed each other, and her husband and Aaron had run from the onslaught of rage.

She crossed her arms as stood right in front of the two grown children, shaking her head incessantly as she frowned.

"Look at you two, cursing each other as soon as you walk in the house. Can't even take the time out to let people know you're home or anything. It's not like we care or anything. No, you two walk in, drop cover and then, wham, let's exact our revenge upon each other. Jeessh, it's like two grown Selena's." Artimis stated, beginning to pace in her disappointment.

"Luckily for you, I happened to be walking by. I should just leave you here, let you simmer and think about what you've done, but I am a nice person and I want to know how the mission went. You two really need to sort out your relationship, you two could be friends if you tried you know." Artimis stated as she drew her wand. She inhaled sharply and unjinxed them, waiting for the excuses.

Artimis didn't even know what was happening as they rushed past her, wands drawn, glares covering both their faces as they whirlwinded past her.

"Jeessh, not even a 'Hi!', or 'Go to hell!'?... I see where I stand in this family." Artimis stated as she started for the kitchen, grumbling darkly and shaking her head. As she reached the doors though, she heard the panicked yell of her husband and she quickly did a 180, realizing that they might have been paralyzed for a reason. She saw Remus walking out of the Living room and she grabbed him, knowing that she might have needed a little help. She dragged him up the stairs, hearing yelps, yells and the sound of beatings.

_What has my darling Draco done now?..._ Artimis thought sardonically as she rushed up the stairs.

--------------------------

Alexis took after Aaron and Draco, Severus close at her heels. She shoved her wand in her pocket as she bounded upstairs, wanting to exact her vengence on them physically and see how much they could take before begging for mercy. She let out a roar of fury, screaming. "You can run, but I'm still going to find and kick both your asses!"

She stopped momentarily on the second story landing, eyes wide and wild as she surveyed with predator's eye the surrounding doors and such. She couldn't hear any scuffling, nor could her heightened hearing pick up any heavy panicked breathing, so she knew her prey couldn't be here.

She looked at Severus, who had the same intense look of anger on his face and nodded her head towards the third floor, and he nodded back. Both automatically took off upstairs once again, an unspoken agreement between them.

Alexis saw the fleeing forms in front of her and she threw aside all grace as she growled and lunged at one of the men's feet, making him thud to the ground. A similar thud and yelp beside her told her that Severus had already taken down the other one.

Smirking with grim insanity, she roughly flipped over the man she had tackled, seeing Aaron looking up at her with wide and fearful eyes. She vaugely thought about using her flame powers to singe him to a crisp, but pushed that aside in favor of hearing his whimpers and cries as she beat the hell out of him. Of which she didn't waste any time.

She smirked at him before drawing back a fist and slamming him in the face, sitting on his chest and pinning his arms with her knees without mercy. He wasn't about to go anywhere. She latched one hand tight around his throat, holding him down as she slammed him again in the face, not holding back.

He grimaced and struggled, freeing one arm and grabbing her wrist. She turned and promptly bit his hand, tasting blood as he yelped. She silenced him with another punch in his jaw, then picking up and slamming his head back into the concrete floor under them once or twice. Head Auror or not, he was going to pay what he put her through that month. Every. Little. Event. Period.

She brought her knee up and kneed him in the gut, making him exhale painfully and grimacing before punching him once more, flecks of blood from his bloody nose spraying her hand. A hand fell on her shoulder and she drew back to punch whomever it was, but saw Severus and hesitated.

He was smirking evilly, breathing heavily as he spoke, Draco pinned under him. "Care to switch for a minute or two?"

"I'd be delighted to." Alexis spoke to him, diving off of Aaron and ramming into Draco, who cried out fearfully. Aaron echoed that cry as Severus was unleashed upon him. Draco struggled violently, but Alexis rammed her head into his own, making him fall back with a pained groan. She sat on his stomach as she punched him twice in succession, thinking of an event that could've been prevented that month if it weren't for him for each punch.

Suddenly she felt a body slam into her hers, and she stopped with surprise as her arms were yanked behind her. She then hollered angrily, lashing out violently. "I'm not done! He's not unconcious yet! Just a few more minutes!"

The person dragged her back off of Draco, but not before she got in a solid kick to his side. He doubled over in pain and she smirked at him as she struggled against the person holding her. She was flung to the ground on her stomach, arms pinned behind her as a body sat on her back, stopping all her movement. She still struggled towards Draco and Aaron, their mere presence angering her.

"I slept in the same bed as Severus... I cuddled with Severus... was violated by Severus countless times... all because of a PRANK! They deserve to DIE!" Alexis screamed loudly, but after that had no more breath to yell as the body on top of her crushed her into the ground.

She breathe heavily as she glared, looking beside her to see Severus in pretty much the same predicament, pinned by Remus, who was looking between them incredulously. Looking up slightly, she saw Artimis looking down at her like she had lost it. _Well, maybe I finally have... but I don't care as long as I get to beat the snot out of those two! _She thought as she calmed somewhat, the pained groans of Aaron and Draco soothing to her ears.

---------------------------------------

If Severus had been a calm man, he would have been enraged at what he heard. But Severus, by no means, was a calm man, and in his chest burnt a fury that would counter hellfire. As he felt the magic let him go, he took off after the two culprits of his demise.

_They did this... they made us do that... For some sick prank..._Severus thought as he followed Alexis up the stairs. When he got his hands on those two, they would have wished that their mothers had never been born to bear them. They stopped on the second story landing and Severus looked around, ready to pounce upon and kill Aaron and Draco. Not finding them he looked to Alexis, who made it know to him that they were not there. There was a silent agreement, consumated by sharp nods and a scrambling up the next set of stairs. Severus saw Aaron and Draco running toward Hailey's room and he thought to draw his wand, but he didn't want to kill them, he wanted to torture them.

Severus watched Alexis leap on Aaron and he took the intiative and pounced on his godson, Draco. He flipped him over on his back, seeing the fear in Draco eyes as he bashed him in the face.

"Draco, you know better, you should have known better, you will not get away from this." Severus hissed as he proceeded to wail upon Draco, letting out that frustration on the man before him. Then he realized that this was only one of the culprits. He looked over at Alexis, holding Draco by the throat, to keep him still as he tapped Alexis on the shoulder. She drew back to punch whomever it was, but saw Severus and hesitated.

Smirking in evil satisfaction of revenge, panting near like an animal, he asked her.

"Care to switch for a minute or two?" He questioned, seeing the wheels of revenge turning in her head as they were moving in his.

"I'd be delighted to." Alexis she replied to him, diving off of Aaron and ramming into Draco, who cried out fearfully.

Severus in turn went after Aaron, deciding that this 'Head Auror' needed to be taught a lesson in respect. He bashed Aaron in the face, driving his knee into the man's abs. This was for all the pain and suffering, emotional, mentally and physically over the last month. He was moving to hit Aaron once again when he was forcefully yanked off the near crying man. Severus found his arms behind his back and his face growing accustomed to the stone floor of the ballroom. There was a knee in his back and he could see Alexis next to him, fighting Artimis back as she yelled, kicking Draco.

"I'm not done! He's not unconcious yet! Just a few more minutes!"

Severus watched as Alexis was flung to the ground like him, but Alexis was not going down without at least a verbal fight as she struggled to attack her prey. Severus gave up struggling against what he assumed was Remus, who was the only one who could and would hold him down with this much force.

"I slept in the same bed as Severus... I cuddled with Severus... was violated by Severus countless times... all because of a PRANK! They deserve to DIE!" Alexis screamed loudly fighting Artimis and Severus felt the knee in his back dig a little deeper. Severus lay there, trying to think of how he could inflict more damage to Aaron and Draco. Severus could see Artimis and Remus exchanging wary glances and then they both looked down at him and Alexis. Severus could hear Aaron and Draco trying to painfully get up and get away and Severus had had enough. He glared at them with all the hate he could possess. He began to struggle and buck against Remus, who had unwittingly loosened his grip. Severus snatched his arm away from Remus and rolled over, landing with his back on Remus as Alexis and Artimis watched him in amazement. Severus drew his wand and glared, yelling loudly.

"_Lepidae_!"

Suddenly Aaron and Draco were on the floor again, writhing in pain as the white hot blades of his spell lashed through their nerves. He had only a moment to live in his glory as Remus got his bearings and toppled him back over, yanking his wand from his hand and throwing it away from him as his arms were yanked back behind him and he was pressed into the floor.

Artimis, who had to keep control of Alexis, spoke first.

"Remus, you take Severus downstairs, put him in his room. Then come up here and get Alexis, put her in her room. Then you and I will have a long talk with my husband and Aaron, then Severus and Alexis." Artimis stated and Remus groaned, lifting Severus up to his feet. Severus braced himself, glaring at the fallen men as he was marched downstairs. Remus let him go when his got to the landing, and Severus shook himself in indignace as he walked into his room. Severus sat on his couch, his suitcase having been brought up.

"Those two bastards got what they deserved." He hissed as he slumped in his couch, not thinking to revel in the privacy of his own space before it was rudely intruded upon again.

------------------------------

Artimis looked at Aaron and Draco, both of them lying sprawled on the floor of the ballroom, Hailey having gone to fetch some potions for them. Remus came upstairs, looking haggard and worried after dropping Alexis off in his room. Artimis was as confused as he was.

"Ok, both of you are going to explain what just happened." Artimis stated, taking the 'angry wife' pose as she glared at her husband. Draco groaned as he looked at Aaron, hoping for Aaron to get him out of this.

"Draco Malfoy, you are going to tell me why Alexis AND Severus did this, or else, you might want to be calling your mother to see if you can sleep in your old room, because you won't be sleeping with me." Artimis stated in confused anger. She wanted an answer now; she wanted to know what Alexis had meant.

"Hunny, it was just a good natured prank. Nothing serious, Alexis just took it overboard, that's all." Draco groaned and Artimis crossed her arms at him.

"What and Severus was defending her honor?" Remus asked with increduality. Artimis knew that Draco had now done two wrongs. One he did something to Alexis and two he just lied to her, either way he was sleeping on the couch tonight.

"Draco, you lie to me one more time and you won't have to worry about Alexis killing you. What was this 'good natured' prank you did?" Artimis asked and Aaron looked at Draco warily.

"Ok, you all don't know the details of their mission for a reason. You Artimis would have smelt foul play. We sent them to America, that much was known, but as far as the ministry is concerned they went as father and daughter, but I and Draco did a bit of tampering. They went as a couple instead, as in they were dating. That's all." Aaron spilled painfully and Artimis's breath caught in her throat.

"You did what! In good natured humor?" Artimis asked in anger and Draco winced in fear of the onslaught of Artimis's anger, but Remus' anger was not expected.

"You did what to MY DAUGHTER! I don't blame her. Or Sev for that matter. I would have kicked your asses too. Come on Artimis, lets go check on Alexis and Sev, heaven knows the ordeals that this mission made them face." Remus barked, glaring at Draco with anger. Artimis was astonished that Draco would do such a thing and even more so that Aaron would go along with it.

"You Draco, couch, You Aaron, I'm telling Hailey." Artimis snarled as she followed Remus down the stairs, feeling sorry for Alexis and Severus and then recalling her odd visit from Vicky and Erica.

"No..." Artimis whispered as she dwelled on what she was told.

-----------------------------

Draco looked at Aaron as Artimis and Remus retreated down the stairs. He smirked as he reached in his pocket, pulling out a black video cassette.

"Hey Aaron, lookie what I still have..." Draco wheezed and Aaron looked at him, his blackened eye growing wide.

"Oh, I love you man. The broken nose was now well worth it. Let's call a family meeting... Before she tells Hailey what we did..."

"Oh yeah, that's what, five minutes? Let's trying and make it down stairs by then." Draco mused as they fought to get to their feet, smirking at how evil they could be.

-----------------------------

Alexis kicked and growled the whole way down the stairs, slung over Remus' shoulder. She didn't stop until he marched into his room, plopped her on the bed and backed out, shaking his head as he watched her with astonishment. Alexis, breathing heavily, narrowed her eyes at him until he vanished around the corner of the wide alcove in front of his room. Once gone, she growled with frustration, springing off the bed and kicking the nearest thing, his dresser, and chipping off a large piece from the corner.

"I'm going to kill them! I don't care how long it takes, they will pay!" Alexis screamed, fists clenched. No one answered, so she growled again and punched the door ignoring the sharp pains in her fist now as she paced the length of the small room, taking deep breaths. _A prank... they thought this was just a harmless little prank... did they even THINK of what could've happened!_ Alexis thought, and then shook her head roughly.

"Be cool... this just gives them time to dwell and fright over their upcoming deaths... and lets me catch my breath... cool and collected, that's the way to go..." She grumbled to herself, then stopped and faced the open door.

"Okay. I think I'm ready to kill them now..." She told herself, grinning evilly as she started to run out the door to find the two targeted men of her anger's desire. But as she ran to the exit of the alcove, she was rammed with a solid force and was jolted slightly, stumbling backwards and staring at the now shimmering transparent force feild in front of her.

"What the hell... would he really...?" Alexis told herself, walking up to the wall and touching it. Another unpleasant jolt raced up her arm, and she drew back with a hiss.

"The dork!" Alexis hollered angrily. _He put up his bloody ward for me! Oh, if he only knew... _Alexis thought furiously to herself as she paced the length of the force field, feeling for the entire world like a caged animal.

Across the hall, directly in front of Remus' room, a door opened slightly, and Alexis stopped pacing to look at it curiously. Severus' head stuck out of it for a moment, looking around, and then he opened it further. He stopped though upon seeing Alexis across the hall from him.

Alexis crossed her arms, glaring as she hissed. "What, he put you behind a ward as well?"  
Severus shook his head, replying. "No. Apparently they think I'm my own ward. More than I can say for you."

Alexis rolled her eyes, asking. "Well, are you?"

Severus looked to think for a moment, and then shrugged. "No, not really."

Alexis sighed with frustration, getting annoyed by his stalling. "Well then can you get me the hell out of this!"

Severus looked to think a bit more, then spoke. "Would, but Remus changed the password again."

Alexis growled with anger, turning and kicking the chair seated near the opening, breaking a leg off. She stomped back into Remus' room, pacing the perimeter of that, looking for any sign of a way to escape, though knowing it was hopeless.

After a few minutes, she heard a murmur, and she looked up, seeing Remus enter the alcove once again, having lowered the ward.

_My chance! Aaron and Draco's deaths must come soon lest I lose but a fraction of my rage! Even that can prevent me from giving them the full extent of their punishment! _Alexis thought almost desperately, lunging for Remus with a growl to attempt to wrest the wand from his grip.

His eyes widened with surprise and he scrambled back out of the alcove, Alexis close on his heels in a righteous fury. But once again she was jolted as Remus threw up the wards, looking at her with astonishment.

Alexis growled some curses at him, beginning to pace the length of it as Remus stood on the opposite side of the wall, shaking his head.

"Alexis, are you alright?" He asked, worry lacing his voice.

"Oh, I'll be fine... as soon as you LET ME OUT!" Alexis hollered, glaring at her adopted father. Remus shook his head, speaking again.

"So you can kill those two? I can't do that. Are you sure you're okay?" Remus continued relentlessly, annoying Alexis.

"Oh, just fucking peachy." Alexis growled.

"You just tried to attack me. _Me_. What did they make you and Severus do?" He spoke sternly.

Alexis laughed sharply. _What they made us do? Oh yes, me tell you... me tell anyone for that matter... like I want to everyone to know... ha... _

"Make him do? Oh, enough to secure their deaths..." Alexis growled, and Remus narrowed his eyes.

"Him? Okay, what did _Severus _do?" Remus asked warily.

Alexis shook her head, smiling grimly. "Really, I don't think you want to know... I would rather never speak of it again, if you don't mind." Alexis spoke, glaring at him slightly. "Now, will you _please_ let me out?"  
Remus looked at her warily, and then shook his head, turning at walking towards Severus' room. Alexis growled with frustration, stomping back into Remus' room to find something else to take her anger out on.

-------------------------------

Severus heard Alexis storming about across the hall and he peaked out, making sure there wasn't a wand directed at him. Seeing the coast was clear he looked to see Alexis pacing like a caged animal.

He stopped as he saw her and she crossed her arms, glaring as she hissed at him.

"What, he put you behind a ward as well?" Alexis asked him and he realized that she was behind the were-wolf's own ward.

"No. Apparently they think I'm my own ward. More than I can say for you." Severus replied as he shook his head, not quite amused as he was underestimated.

Alexis rolled her eyes at him, asking. "Well, are you?"

Severus took a moment to think on that. Was he his own ward, or was he simply bidding his time to kill them in their sleep. He decided that on the later.

"No, not really." He told her and she sighed in frustration.

"Well then can you get me the hell out of this!" She demanded and he questioned if that was a good idea, even if he could let her out. Which he couldn't because he had heard Remus change the password, though he didn't know what it was now.

"Would, but Remus changed the password again." He replied, which sent Alexis on a rampage as she broke a chair and stormed back into the room. Severus saw Remus coming and he closed his door, going back inside to his solitude. He knew that it would not be long, not long indeed, before Alexis, either in her rage or her tears, spoke of what had happened. Severus knew he was a walking dead man, but he'd like to prolong that title of life for as long as he could. He walked into his bathroom, closing and locking the door, cursing the fact that his wand lay on the floor in the ballroom.

Severus heard his door open and he braced, listening to see how many had entered.

"SEVERUS?" Remus' voice could be heard yelling and Severus sighed, placing his forehead against the mirror.

"What do you want Remus?" Severus asked and Remus was heard leaning up against the door.

"What happened? What did you do to Alexis, or what did she do to you?" Remus asked and Severus growled, his breath fogging up the mirror.

"I'd rather not think or talk about it. Go away and leave me be Remus, if you know what's best for you." Severus barked a threat at the werewolf, testing his ground, knowing he was on tender ground.

"Severus, you are going to tell me why my daughter is acting the way she is, and you are going to do it now. Or esle." Remus snarled on the other side of the door and Severus was glad there was a solid door between them.

"Remus, how about you leave me alone or I hex you, I'm in the mood to give someone a good hexing and you are coming close to the recipient." Severus replied angrily, walking over to the bathtub. He sat on the edge, doing his best to not think of anything, especially his impending death.

"Do you really want to hex me? How much do you value your life? Tomorrow is the full moon, don't fuck with me. What happened?" Remus demanded and Severus shook his head, deciding to hold back the smartass comment that had come to mind.

Just then he heard Fred's voice echo through the room, over the intercom system that was rarely used, except for means of annoying Artimis.

"Family meeting in the lounge. Everybody." The words spoke and Severus jumped at the out provided to him. He opened the door, moving past the falling Remus quickly.

"We have a family meeting..." He replied as he moved down those stairs faster than he had ever taken them before, reaching the lounge in excellent time. He summoned his wand to him and it met him there.

Though that was bad news for Aaron and Draco.

----------------------------------

Artimis walked down the stairs, feeling upset and worried.

_What had really happened on the mission?... Should I have believed Vicky and Erica and done something... Is what they thought was happening true?..._ Artimis thought guiltily as she marched to the lounge. Draco and Aaron had set up the singular television in the house and were working on the VCR.

"What are you two up to now?" Artimis asked, still angry with her husband and her former boss.

"Just a movie." Aaron replied and Artimis didn't have time to pry further as her daughter Selena bounced in, singing 'Twinkle Little Star' as she carried a large stuffed wolf, a present from her Aunt Alexis.

"Mummy, a movie! Yay, will Balto be in it again?" Selena asked and Artimis shook her head, scooping her daughter up in her arms.

"I don't know hunny." She replied as she kissed the raven haired child's forehead. Artimis walked over to the couch and sat down, positioning Selena on her lap.

"Popcorn mummy!" Selena pleaded and Artimis sighed, summoning a bowl of popcorn from a house elf, Max. The popcorn was brought to them as the rest of the family entered, Severus standing as far away from Remus as possible. Draco rubbed his hands together in an evil fashion and Artimis knew something was up.

The television turned on and Artimis saw Alexis and Severus in an apartment, making breakfast. Artimis suddenly knew that this was a video of their mission. Now she could find out what really happened. Artimis wrapped her arms around her daughter's waist, leaning forward as she watched the film. Selena was to busy trying to make a popcorn string with some of Artimis's hair to care what was on the TV.

For the first twenty minutes, nothing interesting happened, except that Alexis and Severus were sleeping in the same bed and were cuddling. That was odd, but Artimis would have done the same thing if she had been there with no heater. Selena had managed to make a popcorn 'dinosaur' and was now rampaging through the popcorn village on Artimis's lap. Remus had sat down next to her and he had a village of popcorn on his lap too. Artimis turned to see Ron walk in the door.

"Hey, what're you guys doing?" He asked, smirking as he saw Selena playing.

"Watching Sev and Alexis's mission, nothing good happening so far. Severus just left for a solo mission to see the target. Oh look he's back." Artimis spoke as she went back to watching the servailance films. She watched as Severus shakily joined Alexis as the table, drinking wine, and then moving on to Alexis's liqour.

Artimis watched in shock as Severus kissed Alexis, covering Selena's eyes as she watched them go from chairs to the floor and not looking like either of them were caring.

"Oh my lord!" Artimis stated and just as Severus was beginning to undress Alexis, Vicky and Erica popped into view and Vicky screamed. Artimis couldn't believe her eyes. They had been right.

Artimis uncovered Selena's eyes as everything went back to a semblance of normalcy in the apartment, Severus and Alexis having made a truce to forget it ever happened. Artimis watched the rest of the mission in shock, almost laughing and choking on her popcorn as she watched Severus 'propose' to Alexis. It was also amusing to watch them both heal each other, but Artimis was in shock. The only way for her to get over that kind of shock was to laugh and look at it objectively. So that's what she did.

The film ended and she got up, dumping a lapful of popcorn on the floor as Selena went to Remus. Remus took her out of the room, promising candy and Artimis looked to see Ron. She had forgotten that he had walked in the room. She had known Ron for years, and not once had he scared her, but right now, she was terrified by the look on his face. She quickly scurried out of the room, heading to the kitchen to help with Selena, deciding that her two cents was best not spent and that she owed Erica and Vicky an explanation and an apology.

-----------------------------

Ron walked up to the Manor with a light hearted spring in his step, eager to be home for his darling Alexis was due back from her mission. He had missed her dearly, and had been antsy all day at work, but now he could finally see her. He waltzed into the house, smiling widely as he dropped his folders of work and gave his cloak to the house elf that had appeared.

He started towards the stairs, looking for Alexis, but paused upon hearing a commotion in the Lounge. He walked in curiously, seeing most of the Manor occupants seated near and around a television set that had brought in, Severus he saw disappearing into a back corner of the room.

He smirked at Selena making popcorn creations in his mother's lap, then asked curiously as he walked around to look at the TV.

"Hey, what're you guys doing?"

Artimis, eyes still glued to the television, replied. "Watching Sev and Alexis's mission, nothing good happening so far. Severus just left for a solo mission to see the target. Oh look he's back." And she was once again immersed in the video.

_They actually managed to record their mission? Funny, Alexis isn't in here... _Ron thought as he stood, watching the film with mild interest. The scene he had walked in upon was casual enough, Alexis sitting at a table, drinking actually, and Severus joining her with his own bottle of wine.

Simple enough, but something was out of place. Ron watched with narrowing eyes as they became increasingly drunk, then he stiffened and his breath stopped as he watched on the device as Severus pretty much took advantage of his wife before his very eyes.

He was on the verge of a furious explosion by the time Severus had gotten Alexis on the floor, but that ebbed slightly at the appearence of Erica and Vicky in the scene, blessedly interrupting the event. And from there on, it steadily worsened.

Ron was content to leave it at that little event and pass Severus off with a harsh warning, but this was going too far. He stood stock still, eyes wide and glued to the television as the film played through the length of a staged proposal, and the kiss that followed, then numerous occasions where Severus was in a way too close to be comfortable proximity to his wife.

But he could let those slides, since he was apparently healing the extensive injuries she had aquired. But that was the only thing he was going to let him slide by on. In Ron's eyes and account, Alexis had not played a single card in all the positions he had seen her and Severus in, all having been instigated by the damned Potion's master himself. This was all that he needed to see.

The film of the mission eventually rolled out, but Ron's eyes remained glued to the blank screen in shock, fists clenched as his face tinged red with boiling anger. The room quickly emptied around him, but he was sure of the person who had remained behind in a dark corner of the room. Never had Ron been so angry as he was now, and it took every ounce of the self control he possessed in his body to remain standing and not whipping about in a fury on this man who had violated his wife.

Dimly, Ron saw Severus move from his corner of the room, thinking that he was going to ease around him and slink off to safety. Ha, fat chance.

Ron finally burst, spinning around and grabbing the man by the throat and effortlessly slamming him into the nearest wall. Severus didn't say a word, merely grimacing as Ron tightened his grip and lifted him up slightly, making him stand on his tiptoes.

Ron, taking quick shallow breaths in his barely contained rage, stepped to within two inches from Severus' face, who was staring at Ron with slightly widened, yet resigned eyes.

Ron took a moment to push back his anger enough to hiss at him in a voice dripping with deadly promise, staring hard at him. "If you ever, EVER, touch my wife, look at my wife, hell, come within ten feet of my wife without my sayso or presence, I will tear you limb from limb and feed you piece by piece to the dogs. Do you understand?"  
Severus stared at him in silence for a minute, which was too long for Ron. He tightened his grip on the man's throat some more, pushing him hard against the wall, willing Severus to give him enough incentive to kill him right there.

Severus winced, breathing coming a bit more labored as he whispered out. "Understood."

"Good. Now get out of my sight." Ron growled dangerously, pulling Severus from the wall and practically throwing him against the stone floor. Severus remained silent, grimacing as he rose to his knees, and Ron walked calmly past him towards the stairs, intent upon finding his wife and seeing how badly scarred she was.

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Severus relived the events of the past month in an hour and a half's time. He was astonished that Artimis could just look at it so calmly. When Ron had walked in, he hid in the shadows, knowing that his fate had just been sealed. He watched Ron as he grew steadily tenser, his knuckles getting steadily whiter and he knew that he had very little time to do anything. He watched as the room cleared, seeing Remus carry off his beloved neice and Severus regretted not getting to tell her properly goodbye. Artimis was the last to leave and then Severus stood there in the same room as Ron, seeing that the red haired man was trying to calm his anger. Severus figured he could try to slip out undetected and he moved to get around Ron.

Suddenly, without any warning at all, Ron reached out and grabbed his throat and slammed him back against the wall. Severus grimaced as Ron lifted him by his throat, making him stand on his tiptoes as Severus felt the air being cut off from him. Ron was panting almost as he seemed to fight his rage and Severus knew that he was about to taste the famed Weasley wrath. Ron was now in his face, no more than two inches from his face, staring into his eyes with burning anger. Severus had resigned himself to his fate; he knew he deserved what ever Ron was dishing out.

They stood there a moment, the air being so thick with tension that it could have been cut with a spoon. Ron continued to stare at Severus, finally speaking in a voice that held a promise of pain.

"If you ever, EVER, touch my wife, look at my wife, hell, come within ten feet of my wife without my sayso or presence, I will tear you limb from limb and feed you piece by piece to the dogs. Do you understand?" Ron hissed a warning and Severus didn't know if answering would worsen or better his situation, but he had learned that most of the time, silent agreement was best. But Severus had forgotten that he was dealing with Ronald Weasley, who liked to be answered and who liked to know.

The red haired man tightened his grip on his throat, pushing him into the wall, threatening Severus with his eyes. Ron wanted a reason, a form pf resistance, something to make him kill Severus, but Severus knew better than to give it to him. Severus winced, his breathing coming a bit more labored as he whispered out in reply.

"Understood." He whispered and Ron seemed satisfied.

"Good. Now get out of my sight." Ron growled at him dangerously, yanking Severus from the wall and throwing him to the floor. Severus took it silently, getting to his knees shakily as he watched Ron stalk out of the room in anger.

Severus wondered if Alexis was going to get the same treatment, but he knew better than to think Ron would ever lay a hand on his dear Alexis. Severus rubbed his throat as he headed to the dining room, knowing that it would just be safe to sit in there with Selena and wait for dinner.

Dinner came and Severus sat in his seat next to Remus, silent as he avoided everyone's gaze. Aaron and Draco had obviously taken a beating from Ron as well, seeing as they couldn't look at him and he kept giving them warning glares. Ron was on the other side of Remus and Severus hated thinking that one enraged man was keeping him from a deathly angered man. Come to think of it, they were both deadly. One was a werewolf and the other a Weasley. Severus ate in silence and the only noise was Selena drumming out the tune for 'Spiderman'. After dinner, Severus quickly and silently retired to his room. Showering and crawling into his bed he laid down, savoring the room and then lack of another presence.

"Now, I can finally get some sleep." He thought as he laid his head back on his soft pillow, staring at the ceiling. And he stared at the ceiling for the next four hours. Upset and frustrated, he got up and began pacing, wrapping his bathrobe around himself as he lit the fire up again.

"Bloody hell, why can't I sleep?..." He spoke aloud and the reason came to him as he looked at his _empty_ bed.

"Damn it, I know what the reason is... And no one is around to hear me admit this... I can't sleep without Alexis... Damn it... One bloody month and your whole sleep habit changes... How am I going to solve this... I'm sure Ron would not appreciate me going to him and asking 'hey can I borrow your wife, because I can't fall asleep unless she is in the bed'... Yeah, real smart..." Severus thought aloud, as he paced his room.

He went over all the avenues of why he would not have been able to sleep without her. He came to two conclusions; one was the human warmth that she provided and that would have been countered by the warmth of the room, so it was most likely not that, and secondly, it could be her scent, which seemed more logical.

"Damnation... How am I going to pull that off either... I don't exactly have essence of Alexis lying around to solve that..." He thought as he pondered on it, coming to a conclusion.

"I pray she is not up there." He thought as he stalked up to her tower that shared with Ron, hoping that neither of them were up there but having an elaborate back-up plan of false apologies for both Ron and Alexis. He opened the door, finding the room blissfully empty. Shaking his head at what he was about to do he marched over to her bed, grabbing her dragon pillow, the only pillow she had taken with her on their mission and the only one that he was sure it was hers. Taking the pillow he looked around the room and dashed back to his room. He closed and locked the doors, feeling sneaky and terrible.

He turned off his lights and lay back in his bed, curling up with Alexis's pillow that smelt like her.

"That's better." He thought as he almost immediately passed out.

-------------------------

**_Go on and read the last Chapter, evil laughter  
Toodles,  
The Misfits_**


	13. The End Or is it? 10 Part 2

**The Mission From Hell  
Chapter 10 Part II  
"The end, or is it..."**  
By: Deep Shadows and EckoStalker  
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** Author's Notes:** Yes this is the last chapter, and just to let you know, yes there will be another Mission fron Hell, but not for a while...

---------------------------------------------

Alexis awoke lazily, yawning widely and wrapped in strong warm arms. Too tired to open her eyes but too hungry to sleep, she grumbled into the bare warm chest. 

"Are you going to make breakfast?"

"Well, if you want me to." A voice answered amusingly. Alexis frowned, noticing Severus' voice had actually gotten higher. He also smelt different. Perturbed, she opened her eyes and looked up, meeting Ron's smiling gaze.

"Good morning beautiful." He spoke, and Alexis jumped back a bit in surprise, forgetting that she was home and in her own bed.

Ron looked at her with concern as he questioned. "Alexis? Nightmare or something?"

Alexis sighed deeply, shaking her head as she lay her head back down on his bare chest, cuddling up to him with a small smile. "Uh, yeah... nightmare..."

Ron relaxed at her answer, once again wrapping his arm around her and she smiled widely, recalling warmly the memories of being spoiled rotten by her husband the night before and the sweet recollections of the continued beatings of Draco and Aaron by his hands. Yep, it had been a good night.

She lay against him in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, and then Ron breathed deeply, kissing her on the top of her head before speaking. "Well, I'm going to take a shower, then make you a meat lover's omelette, if that's okay with you."

Alexis sighed contentedly, squeezing him as she replied. "Oh, perfectly fine with me."

"Then it's settled." He spoke happily, sidling out from under her and stretching as he rose from the bed, grabbing some clothes and heading into the bathroom.

Alexis rolled over on her back, spreading her arms out, her eyes still closed. After a minute, she shivered from the absence of body heat, and rolled over; reaching for her dragon pillow she had always curled up with. She groped on the bed for a minute, frowning when her hands came across nothing but the regular pillows. She opened her eyes, scanning the bed with confusion, but seeing her pillow nowhere in sight.

She sat up, gathering the blanket around herself warmly, thinking to herself. "I know I brought it back from the apartment..."

She leaned down, glancing under her bed, but seeing nothing but the customary shirt or two and a mace she thought she had lost months ago. Shrugging with a frown, she sat back up, and then slid off the bed, crawling over to her half unpacked suitcase and rummaging through it. Still nothing.

She sat back on her heels, scratching her head in confusion. She dressed quickly, and then ruffled through her expandable closet, then in the upstairs second room, but it was nowhere to be found. She called to Ron, hearing him turn off the water in the shower.

"Honey, do you know where my dragon pillow is?"  
"It's not on the bed?" He asked, walking out of the bathroom and towel drying his bright red hair.

"No, and I've already looked under the bed, in my suitcase, and in the closet." Alexis mused, and Ron shrugged.

"Don't think you left it downstairs of something?" He suggested and Alexis smirked.

"I bet Artimis took it. Then, I'm off to her room." She declared, going into a dramatic pose and pointing towards the door. Ron mimicked her and declared as well. "And I'm off to the Kitchen."  
Alexis laughed, and both skipped out of their Tower, heading downstairs. Ron parted with her on the second story landing with a kiss, and Alexis quickly popped her head into Artimis's room, scanning the perimeter. The desired object could not be located.

"Where the bloody hell is it?" Alexis grumbled, leaving the room and looking towards Remus' room.

"He wouldn't take it... he doesn't do well with pillows too well..." Alexis mused, and then she stopped, narrowing her eyes at an odd feeling she just had.

"You know, I wonder..." She mused, stepping up to Severus' door. She opened it and looked inside, and lo and behold, there was her pillow, wrapped in Severus' arms and with his face buried in it.

Alexis shook her head in confusion, staring at the sleeping man like he was insane. Which he probably was, since when did_ he_ ever steal_ her_ pillows?

"My gosh, he's even drooling on it..." Alexis grumbled and thought dimly with a shudder if he were ever drooling on her at any time. She stepped forward, but then stopped, thinking a moment.

"Wait, need hard proof." Alexis told herself, reaching into one of the big pockets of her pants and pulling out a camera.

She snapped a quick picture, and then walked forward, snatching the pillow from his grip as she indignantly hollered. "Severus! What the hell are you doing!"

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Severus was sleeping contently, his arms wrapped around something soft, but not exactly warm. He assumed that Alexis had placed a pillow in her place when she got up, hoping for not another repeat of him being a cling-on. He heard Alexis yell at him and he groaned.

"Severus! What the hell are you doing!" She hollered and he sighed, burying his head in the pillow.

"Shut up and go back to sleep..." He growled, not wanting to wake up to yet another snow day. He heard her grumble at him and then she yanked his pillow away. On instinct he whipped his hand out and yanked it back, rolling over as he curled up to it. He heard her exasperation as she stomped around the bed, grumbling. She snatched it away from him and hit him in the head with it, jostling him awake.

"God, make your own breakfast, you know how to make cereal!" Severus yelled, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

"Um, Sev, we're home..." She stated and Severus opened his eyes, looking around and realizing that he was indeed in his bed at the Manor.

"Then what are you doing here?" He barked at her and she held a dragon pillow up.

"You had my pillow... Why did you have my pillow?" Alexis asked him and the whole ordeal came to mind.

_Deny it..._ He thought in his early morning mentality.

"I didn't have your pillow." He barked and then Alexis pulled out her Polaroid camera and took out the picture, showing him sleeping curled with it.

"Yes, you did, and you were drooling on it too... gross. "Alexis stated and Severus had no idea what to say, so he said the first thing that came to mind.

"So?" He asked and Alexis looked at him in shock.

"Why did you have my pillow Severus? When I woke up with Ron it was gone." Alexis asked him and Severus remembered Ron's words. _'If you ever, EVER, touch my wife, look at my wife, hell, come within ten feet of my wife without my sayso or presence, I will tear you limb from limb and feed you piece by piece to the dogs.' _

Severus realized that he was closer than ten feet and did not feel like testing Ron's patience. He scrambled backwards on his bed, jumping off on the other side and standing back a foot or two.

"That's ten feet right?" Severus asked and Alexis looked at him like he was crazy.

"Um, yeah... Would you care to explain why you were _cuddling_ with _my_ pillow, Severus?" She demanded and Severus shook his head, deciding he had a way out of answering.

"Good morning Alexis." He stated simply as he turned around and walked into his bathroom, closing and locking the door.

"You are such a bad liar Severus! I'll find out why and you know it." He heard her state as she stormed out of her room and he sighed, shaking his head as he walked back into his room to get some clothes.

-----------------------------------

_**That Night...**_

Alexis lay down next to Ron, cuddling against him, and then tucking her dragon pillow firmly under her arm, having a dim feeling that the pillow snatchings wouldn't end as easily as it had done this morning. She still hadn't managed to get a solid answer out of him, so she just pushed it aside as an odd coincidence. But that didn't mean she was going to risk it being snatched once more. She smiled though as Ron hugged her to him, and she drifted off into a comfortable sleep in her husband's embrace.

Alexis yawned, having been awoken by Ron's jostling. She grumbled to herself under her breath. She rolled over against him, reaching around behind her for her pillow. She tensed though, not finding it. She sat up suddenly, bleary eyes glancing at the clock on the fireplace mantle, seeing it read 3:27 am.

She glanced about the bed, lifting Ron slightly and looking under him, but still the pillow was missing. She growled under her breath, knowing exactly who the culprit was.

She slowly slid out of the bed, shivering in the chilly air and was stopped by Ron's sleepy voice, seeing him roll over to face her slightly. "Honey... did you forget to turn off the sink..."

Alexis rolled her eyes and smirked, replying. "Yes darling. Going right now to turn it off in the Kitchen. Go back to sleep."

Ron yawned, turning back on his side as he mumbled. "Okay... love you..."

"Love you too. Night night." Alexis snickered, then padded out of the Tower and making her way to Severus' room. She threw open the door, glaring with tired eyes at the man who was once again wrapped around her pillow. This was starting to get pretty annoying.

She stalked forward and snatched it away once more, grumbling. He shifted in his sleep, and Alexis slapped him across the head with the pillow. He winced slightly and grumbled. "Come on... it's too early for that... go back to sleep..."

Alexis rolled her eyes and growled. "But it isn't too early to steal a pillow from my room, when both me and Ron are in there sleeping?"

Severus cracked one eye open, then both shot open as he stared at her with surprise. Alexis whacked him once again with the pillow, and he brought up his arm in defense.

"Why are you stealing my pillow Severus?" Alexis grumbled, too tired to be putting up with his weird self. Severus sat up, looking at her silently, biting his lip slightly in thought. He carefully scooted to the edge of his bed, but Alexis caught on to his plan and stepped in front of his bathroom, hands on her hip with the pillow in one hand as she snapped.

"Well, an explanation will do nicely you know. I'd like to get back to sleep."

Severus shrugged, looking away from her gaze as he grumbled. "Well, go back to sleep then..."

"I would if I was assured that I wasn't going to wake up to any more missing bed articles. What's next, my blanket? My mattress? Can you assure me it won't happen anymore Severus?" She questioned, glaring at him.

Severus didn't answer, standing to his feet and merely staring at her, and Alexis knew it was a solid no.

"Well, then would you mind explaining why you have this incessant need to steal my pillow?" She questioned relentlessly, and his only answer was a slow shake of his head, denying her any answer.

She growled, whacking him harshly with the pillow again. He stumbled slightly, staring at her with confusion. "So you hit me with the pillow..."

"Yeah, maybe it'll wake you up enough to actually say something. It must be something bad if you'd risk sneaking in there with Ron in the bed." Alexis told him, and he looked at the floor, at his hands, anyplace besides her face.

There were a few more minutes of annoying silence, and Alexis hit him in the head with the pillow once more. He stumbled, and then glared at her, growling. "Stop it damnit."

"Well!" Alexis snapped, and Severus sighed, crossing his arms and then rubbing the bridge of his temple. He took a deep breath, and then mumbled into his hand.

"What was that?" Alexis asked again, and he spoke a bit louder with frustration. "It smells like you."

Alexis dropped her arms from her hips, staring at Severus with a surprised expression at the blunt answer. Severus quickly took the time to explain in her stunned state.

"I have found that, I cannot sleep unless..." he sighed again, rubbing his temples before finishing."... unless I... well... smell you."

Alexis continued to stare at him, unable to find a good answer to that one. Severus looked at her with a desperate face as he explained. "You sleep in the same bed with someone for a month and it changes your whole bloody sleep habit!"

"Apparently..." Alexis mused, finally snapping out of her surprise and staring at Severus with a raised eyebrow. _Well... this is a new one... I think I should be a bit freaked out here... _ Alexis thought, both standing there in awkward silence for a few moments.

Alexis swallowed painfully; shaking her head at what she was about to say, but saying it anyway. "Well you... you could've asked."

Severus looked at her like she was nuts, then stepped forward and spoke sarcastically. "Oh yes. Ask. Try this one. 'Excuse me Alexis, I have realized that I can't sleep unless your scent is there, so I was wondering if I could borrow one of your pillows?'. Or, to counter that, 'Hey Ron, can I borrow your wife, because I can't fall asleep unless she is in the bed'? What do you think would be the answer?"

Alexis couldn't help but smirk, but she knew what he meant. "Yeah... I see your point..."

Severus nodded, crossing his arms and looking once again at his feet. Alexis knew she was the one who had to find a solution to this; she couldn't very well go on with him stealing one of her pillows, especially one so easily recognized as hers. That just wouldn't look right.

She sighed, shaking her head as she grumbled. "Okay then. Just, don't steal this one anymore... and... I'll give you... a different one. I guess."

Severus looked up at her, as if not sure she was serious or not, and she looked away, feeling very awkward. Moments like this weren't suppose to happen between her and people like Severus. It was just... _weird_.

"Um... thank you..." Severus mumbled, and Alexis nodded, then looked at him and spoke.

"Oh and... let's not say anything about this in public, okay?"  
"Wasn't planning to..." Severus grumbled, and Alexis nodded, starting to back out of Severus' room.

"I'm just gonna go now... um, come up and get it after Ron leaves for work, okay?"

Severus rolled his eyes at her, nodding, and Alexis quickly ran upstairs, still perturbed by the whole confrontation. She slid into bed beside Ron, sighing as she dropped her pillow on the bed, knowing she wasn't going to get much more sleep, since she was going to have to wake up at six anyway, and it was already four in the morning.

Ron awoke sometime later, pulling Alexis into a hug with a sigh, and she laughed at him, whacking him in the back with the pillow. He let her go and rolled back on the bed, Alexis rolling back as well. Suddenly she was whacked on the head with a pillow, and that proceeded into an all out pillow fight that lasted into the better part of half an hour.

Alexis finally got up to take a shower, whacking Ron with her dragon pillow once more before disappearing into the bathroom.

-------------------------------------------

Ron sighed, leaning back on his bed after being whacked by Alexis once more with her pillow. He shook his head and smiled, sighing contentedly. He rolled on his side, pulling her pillow up to himself and cuddling with it lazily until she returned. But as he breathed into the pillow, a frown covered his face as he noticed something... odd, about it. He sat up, looking at the pillow warily. It smelled different, not like Alexis too much. He smelled it carefully once more, and then a scowl covered his face as he pinned down exactly whose smell that was.

Alexis was finishing with her quick shower, and he growled loudly. "Alexis."

"Yes honey? Something... wrong..." Alexis trailed off, skipping into the bedroom but stumbling to a halt at the look of anger on his face.

"Yes. Why does _your _pillow smell like Severus?" He questioned lowly, his already simmering anger for the Potion's master quickly rising to boiling. He saw Alexis swallow, and her characteristic paling out when she was caught doing something.

He narrowed his eyes, hissing. "Alexis, answer me."

Alexis looked at him uncomfortably, hands clasped behind her back as she traced one foot in circles. "Um..."

"It's going to be one of those _'Well-what-happened-was' _stories isn't it?" Ron stated, and Alexis smiled meekly at him, and he knew it wasn't a good sign. He kept the thoughts of how he was going to go about killing Severus as Alexis stammered an explanation.

"Um... yeah... well you see, what happened was... well... okay fine." Alexis growled at herself, then looking at Ron almost helplessly.

"You know that Severus and I had to... share a bed, with each other for the past month, right?" She explained softly, and Ron nodded, narrowing his eyes.

"Well... something like that... it sometimes changes people... but not like that! It's just that... Severus has been the one stealing my pillow. Because he can't sleep without... this sounds so wrong... without being able to, I guess, smell me there or something." Alexis mumbled quietly, and Ron's face turned slightly redder as he clenched his fists with anger.

"And when did you find this out?" He growled lowly.

"He told me this morning when I went to get my pillow back..." Alexis answered meekly, looking at him warily.

"He told y- oh... I guess he didn't understand our little chat like he said..." Ron hissed mostly to himself, standing up from the bed with every intention of finding said person. Alexis backed up a step, stepping in front of the doors.

"Now Ron... he can't help it... not his fault... well, maybe a bit... but still..." Alexis tried to explain, but Ron wasn't going to listen this time.

_He talked to her... was obviously within the restricted radius... time to take my warning to the next level... _Ron told himself with anger, walking up to Alexis and pulling her away from the door.

"I'll be back in a few minutes honey." He told her simply, exiting the Tower. He paused in his step though as he heard Alexis's voice pleading.

"Ron... you're not going to leave right now are you?"

He stopped, sighing as he closed his eyes. _And now she's doing the 'eyes' and standing there looking depressed... _Ron whined mentally, trying to steel himself from her and continue his march of justice.

"Okay... I guess I'll see you late tonight after work... since you've got to leave in like two hours... but you want to spend it somewhere else... that's okay..." Alexis sighed depressingly, and Ron's shoulders slumped in a defeated manner. He knew he was beaten even before starting. So he sighed and turned back, straightening his shoulders and giving her a smile.

Alexis smiled brightly back at him, looking at him as if he were her hero or something, of which he wasn't going to complain about. He shook his head with amusement as he walked back into the room, catching her as she leapt at him with a yelp of glee. _Well... I can always get him later..._

--------------------------------

Severus was just barely sleeping, having just fallen asleep after stealing the pillow from Alexis at about 2:30 am. He buried himself under the blankets, clinging to the pillow as he dozed in and out of conciousness. He thought he heard a door open loudly, but then again, it might have been a dream, at this point, Severus wasn't to sure of anything. He began to fall into a deeper sleep, just as the pillow he had wrapped himself around was snatched out of his arms. He shifted, moving to find the pillow again and he was walloped in the head with it. Now he was sure that Alexis was trying to start a fight with him in order to get him up to make her food. He winced slightly and grumbled at her.

"Come on... it's too early for that... go back to sleep..." He told Alexis and it was silent for moment and he thought she might have actually gone back to sleep.

"But it isn't too early to steal a pillow from my room, when both me and Ron are in there sleeping?" Alexis barked at him and he opened one eye to look at her. She was standing there in her spaghetti strap shirt and a pair of mens boxers, more than likely Ron's. He opened both eyes and stared at her in utter surprise. Alexis whacked him again with the pillow he had stolen to get some sleep and he blocked the blow with his arm as Alexis grumbled at him in anger.

"Why are you stealing my pillow Severus?" He heard her grumble at him and he sat up, looking at her, wondering what he should say. He bit his lip to keep himself one awake and two from telling her his secret. He looked toward the bathroom door, moving for his way out as he scooted to the edge of the bed.

Alexis must have predicted it, because she blocked him from it, standing in the _'I'm a woman and I demand an answer'_ stance and Severus knew he was defeated, but he wasn't giving up without a fight.

"Well, an explanation will do nicely you know. I'd like to get back to sleep." Alexis grumbled at him and he shrugged, looking away from her gaze as he grumbled back at her.

"Well, go back to sleep then..."

"I would if I was assured that I wasn't going to wake up to any more missing bed articles. What's next, my blanket? My mattress? Can you assure me it won't happen anymore Severus?" She questioned him with frustration and she was glaring at him as he stood to his feet, staring at her blankly. Nonverbal, he was telling her that no he couldn't assure her it wouldn't happen anymore, he couldn't even assure himself of anything.

"Well, then would you mind explaining why you have this incessant need to steal my pillow?" She questioned him relentlessly.

The only answer he was willing to give her was a slow shake of his head. He heard her growl at him and then she hit him with the pillow again, hard. He stumbled with the force and stared at her with confusion.

"So you hit me with the pillow..." He asked, wondering if he wasn't the only insane one.

"Yeah, maybe it'll wake you up enough to actually say something. It must be something bad if you'd risk sneaking in there with Ron in the bed." Alexis stated and Severus looked at the floor, then his hands, then the wall, anything from looking at the questioning woman in front of him. He was silent for a few moments and then Alexis hit him with the pillow once more.

Stumbling once again, he glared at her, growling. "Stop it damnit."

"Well!" Alexis snapped at him and his only choice was to cross his arms as he looked at her, taking the time to rub his temple as he thought to himself.

_If I don't tell her then she'll never leave it be, if I do tell her I run the risk of getting my ass kicked again..._ He thought as he took a deep breath and then decided to tell her.

He mumbled lowly, hoping she could hear him as he talked into his hand not looking at her.

"It smells like you." He whispered and Alexis obviously didn't hear him.

"What was that?" Alexis asked him again, thus making him speak louder to her, frustrated that he had to admit this out loud, to Alexis of all people.

"It smells like you." He told her and she dropped her arms in shock as he looked at her, and she was staring at him in surprise.

Severus quickly took the time to explain in her stunned state.

"I have found that, I cannot sleep unless..." he sighed again, rubbing his temples before finishing. "... unless I... well... smell you." He explained, feeling very, very, vulnerable in this conversation. Alexis now had a weakness on him, even if she was that weakness. Alexis didn't say anything though, she just stared at him and he felt like it was accusingly.

"You sleep in the same bed with someone for a month and it changes your whole bloody sleep habit!" Severus looked at her like one desperate as he explained to her.

"Apparently..." Alexis mused to herself more than him, finally speaking as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. They both stood there in awkward silence for a few moments before Alexis spoke, shaking her head as she did so.

"Well you... you could've asked." She stated and he looked at her like she was crazy. _And when exactly was I supposed to ask, while your husband was threatening me... Or while I was watching our mission, or while you were out with your husband..._ Severus thought as he spoke sarcastically. "Oh yes. Ask. Try this one. 'Excuse me Alexis, I have realized that I can't sleep unless your scent is there, so I was wondering if I could borrow one of your pillows?'. Or, to counter that, 'Hey Ron, can I borrow your wife, because I can't fall asleep unless she is in the bed'? What do you think would be the answer?" He asked her, knowing fully well what the answer would have been. Alexis smirked at him and he sighed as she replied.

"Yeah... I see your point..."

Severus nodded at her as he crossed his arms, looking once again at his feet. He couldn't help but think that Ron would kill him if he found Alexis in her in her pajamas and him in the room in just his boxers. He was broken from his thoughts by Alexis sighing loudly.

"Okay then. Just, don't steal this one anymore... and... I'll give you... a different one. I guess." She stated and he looked at her, thinking to himself. _She's not serious, is she?..._

Alexis looked away from him and he had a feeling she was just as uncomfortable in this situation as he was.

"Um... thank you..." Severus told her lowly and she nodded in acknowledgement.

"Oh and... let's not say anything about this in public, okay?" She looked at him and asked and he shook his head at her._ Oh yes, I plan on saying in public that I am addicted to your scent... Gods, I even sounds wrong to say that in my head... _He thought as he replied.  
"Wasn't planning to..." Severus grumbled at her and she nodded, backing out of his room.

"I'm just gonna go now... um, come up and get it after Ron leaves for work, okay?" She asked him and he rolled his eyes at her. Seeing Ron was last on his list.

He watched her leave and he sighed, heading for the shower as he sighed.

"Things can never be normal in my life can they?" He asked as he took a quick shower.

After his shower he headed down to breakfast, rubbing his head as he sat in his spot. He was about half an hour early, but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep any longer anyway. Artimis looked at him worriedly as she showed Selena how to set the table. He shrugged at her as he got up and helped Selena set the table while Artimis headed to check on the food. Harry walked in, giving Severus a warning glance.

"Ron is on a rampage, you talked to her and now he's gonna kick your butt from here to China. Just giving you fair warning." Harry stated as he toned down his language for Selena. Severus nodded and shook his head as he went over to his seat as the rest of the family came slowly pouring in. Alexis and Ron were the last to enter and Severus' eyes immediately went to looking at Selena, away from either of them. Selena was busy trying to make her spoon stick to her nose. Severus was wondering why Remus wasn't at the table and then he remembered with a gulp that it was a full moon weekend. That meant that there was no one sitting between him and Ron. Severus scooted his chair over, closer to Hermione, who looked at him and scooted closer to Fred. Fred, being the idiot that he was, scooted closer to Hermione, earning himself a smack.

Not several minutes later, a large yellow and brown owl glided through the open Kitchen window with a box gripped in its talons. Eating stopped as everyone looked up in curiousity, the owl landing gracefully in front of Alexis's plate, snatching a sausage from Ron's hand with dignity. Alexis looked at the box, and then took it, the owl taking wing and leaving with a mournful call.

"Christmas come early or something?" Alexis mused, opening the box which had been addressed to her. She looked inside, and her face lit up as she let out a yip of joy, snatching up the objects within. Severus cocked an eyebrow as he heard her murmuring.

"Oh my babies, I've missed you so much... Mama's never going to lose you two again, no she's not..."

Alexis looked up happily, and Severus saw that she held her once lost nunchucks in her hands. He rolled his eyes, scolding himself from thinking he was finally rid of their sting, when Alexis pulled out a piece of parchment.

Artimis asked curiously. "Didn't know they were lost... Does it say who found them?"

Alexis read the letter silently, and then looked up with an odd expression. She then spoke aloud.

_"Dear Mrs. Weasley._

_You OWE me._

_Rita Skeeter Daily Prophet"_

"Oookaaayy..." Alexis mused quietly, and Artimis looked to Hermione.

"She returned those... which means... she knows about the mission! And she didn't say anything? What kind of blackmail do we have on this woman!"

Hermione smiled, replying smugly. "Take your pick."

The rest of breakfast was eaten in relative silence, Alexis never letting go of her accursed weapons and Severus thankful that Ron actually let him be. Ron got up from the table early in fact, excusing himself to get ready for work. Severus made sure he had Selena with him all morning until Ron left with on final warning glare.

"He's gonna kill me tonight... Might as well get some reading in." Severus told himself as he headed for the library.

----------------------

Alexis wandered into the Living room, figuring she might as well sit back and chill until Ron got home, which should've been any time now. Then maybe they could actually find something to do.

_If Ron isn't too occupied tracking Severus down... gonna have to probably save his pathetic ass again... I swear, men these days..._

Alexis thought to herself, sprawling on the couch and opening a Terry Pratchett book. She sighed contentedly as she immersed herself in her reading. But she was soon interrupted by a deep voice inquiring.

"Excuse me."

Alexis looked up with confusion, seeing Severus standing there, looking at her expectantly, book in one hand, cup of tea in the other. They stared at each other for a moment, Alexis wondering what he was 'excuse me' -ing about.

Severus finally sighed and rolled his eyes. "Will you move you feet, please?"

A bit surprised, she lowered her feet to the floor, looking around the room to assure herself that there were indeed other empty seats, and that Severus wasn't being forced to sit beside her. She shrugged though as Severus sat, opening his book and leaning back comfortably.

Alexis wasn't the one disturbed at his close proximity, she accepted that the mission was just that, a mission, and the events that had taken place would _never _happen again. And she was positive that Severus saw it as the same. But spending a whole month that close to the guy made her loosen up about her paranoia of him plotting to attack her or something like before the mission. But that still didn't solve the dilemma over Severus' continued display of civility towards her the last two weeks of the mission and this last week at home.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, but he was calmly reading his book and sipping his tea, not disturbed at the fact that he was sitting beside what he had always announced her as 'the bane of his existence'.

Finally, she could take it no longer. She set down her book, looking at him with a curious expression. Severus, feeling her gaze, set down his book and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay come on. These past few weeks you've been civil, hell, I'll go as far as to say nice to me. And I know you can't use the 'oh, she's my partner' excuse anymore. So what's up with that?" Alexis questioned, genuinely puzzled.

Severus was quiet for a moment, and then a small smirk came over his face as he looked at Alexis, oblivious to the tall, red haired man who had just walked in the living room as he spoke calmly. "Well, it's kind of hard not being nice to someone you've made out with..."

-----------------------------------------------------

**Author's Notes: **

_The beatings will continue until the morale improves!_  
This is our Christmas present, to us...This was all started by me, Deep Shadows, wanting to make omelets, and of course, EckoStalker, in her constant plotting, said, 'Hey, what if..."  
That's where this came from, ten chapters of "What if..." Ah beautifulness...

Toodles,  
Deep Shadows  
and  
EckoStalker  
"The Original Misfits"


End file.
